Walmart shooting case gag order request denied

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that the judge approved the request.
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Patrick Crusius' lawyers asked the judge in the Walmart shooting case to extend the gag order surrounding the case to include former El Paso DA Bill Hicks. In a meeting today, the judge denied that request. Court documents show that the defense team filed the motion last month in the 409th District Court.
Hicks sent the following statement to ABC-7:
"In a meeting with the parties today, Judge Medrano decided that currently there was no reason to extend the Gag Order to me, therefore, although I have no plans or intentions to make any statements regarding the Walmart prosecution, I am NOT legally prohibited from doing so as I am not under the Court's Gag Order."
Bill D. Hicks Former District Attorney 2022-2024
The gag order first went into effect in July 2022, and prevented all parties involved in the legal case from publicly speaking about the case.
Crusius pleaded guilty to murder charges in federal court and was sentenced to multiple life sentences. He is now fighting his state charges after previously pleading not guilty. He is accused of killing 23 people and shooting and injuring multiple others on August 3, 2019 at the Cielo Vista Walmart in East El Paso.