Gag order in place in BART shooting case

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- A judge in California says a gag order will remain in place for lawyers handling the Bay Area Rapid Transit shooting death case.

Alameda County Superior Judge Morris Jacobson ruled Friday that attorneys in the case must restrain themselves from releasing details to the media in order to assure a fair trial, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday.

Former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle, 27, is facing murder charges for the deadly Jan. 1 shooting of 22-year-old Oscar Grant.

The shooting took place at a BART station in Oakland, Calif. Grant allegedly was unarmed.

Jacobson said members of the defense team should not have released a copy of their bail motion to the media, the Chronicle reported.

"The defendant is entitled to a trial with untainted witnesses," Jacobson said in reference to the leaked document, which contained the identities of witnesses.