State seeks gag order in OnlyFans model Courtney Clenney murder case
MIAMI - The case of former OnlyFans model Courtney Clenney, who is charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of her boyfriend Christian Obumseli, went before a judge Thursday as the state sought a gag order in the case.
Judge Laura Cruz said she would rule next Tuesday on the state's motion.
In court, a prosecutor said he wanted, "no public statements from all parties," but outside court prosecutor Khalil Quinan said he only wanted them cautioned against making inappropriate comments.
Larry Handfield, an attorney for the victim's family, said he wanted to make sure there was a fairer trial. He told CBS News Miami's Peter D'Oench, "I want to make sure that my client's family receives a fair trial and a fair trial is what is presented in court not what is presented in public." He said he did not want to see any "negative impact" on a jury.
But the attorneys for Clenney say the state is unfairly seeking a gag order.
Attorney Frank Prieto said, "I think the state's goal is that they want to restrict is from speaking in the media other than saying no comment and that is not an appropriate avenue in restricting our ability to push back against the media."
Attorney Sabrina Puglisi said, "Every person here should be appalled that the state is trying to prevent the First Amendment right to free speech. Everyone should have the right to speak freely."
The judge agreed on a state motion for the defense to release the names and addresses of all witnesses uncovered by the defense.
Also, announced in court, the new charges against Clenney's mom and dad and Courtney for alleged hacking of a laptop belonging to the victim and the parents will have to appear in court in Miami.
Meanwhile, Clenney's parents have been released from jail following their arrest earlier this week.
Deborah Lyn Clenney, 57, and Kim Dewayne Clenney, 60, were taken into custody Tuesday in Austin, Texas, on an out-of-state warrant. A Miami-Dade circuit judge had signed arrest warrants for the couple last week.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, they are charged with one count of unauthorized access of a computer, computer system, or electronic device of Christian Obumseli.
Their 27-year-old daughter faces the same new charge.
Clenney fatally stabbed Obumseli inside their Miami apartment in 2022.
She was arrested in Hawaii several days after the stabbing, but investigators believe she gave Obumseli's computer to her parents sometime between the killing and her arrest. According to the arrest warrants, detectives recovered text messages where the parents discussed trying to gain access to the computer.
"We believe it's incriminating evidence and it goes to a cover-up which my family has always believed," said attorney Larry Handfield who is representing Obumseli's family.
Clenney has acknowledged killing Obumseli but said she was acting in self-defense. Her attorney, Frank Prieto, previously said that Obumseli was regularly abusive.
Recently, a new video surfaced showing the rocky relationship between OnlyFans model Clenney and her boyfriend just months before he was stabbed to death.
Clenney previously told investigators that Obumseli had pushed her and thrown her to the floor, which prompted her to grab a knife and throw it at Obumseli from about 10 feet away. The medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Obumseli said his wound could not have been caused by a knife thrown from that distance.
