Court: Judge must rule on Michael Dunn's jail calls

Appeals Court says trial judge needs to decide when recordings will be released

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With one week to go until jury selection begins in the Michael Dunn murder trial, an appeals court is responding to an emergency motion about making public the phone calls Dunn made from jail.

The First District Court of Appeals is now saying Judge Russell Healey must decide whether should decide when those recordings will be released before it becomes a matter for the appeals court.

On Friday, Healey ruled Dunn's phone calls the WJXT and other media went to court to obtain must be released to the public, but the State Attorney's Office said it would take 9 to 10 weeks to redact some personal information before that could happen.

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Within hours of that ruling, the Florida Times-Union and another television station filed an appeal for the calls to be released immediately.  WJXT filed its own motion requesting an immediate hearing on the issue.

Dunn is accused of killing Jordan Davis at a gas station in November 2012 after an argument over loud music. He later told police he fired when he thought he saw a gun.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Feb. 3.