Child murder trial to begin Monday with judge issuing rulings on some witness testimony

PEORIA, Ill. – The murder trial of one of two people charged in the death early last year is still scheduled to go to trial starting Monday, now that some final issues have been decided.

Brandon Walker, who turned 42 on Tuesday, faces six counts of First Degree Murder, for the death in March of last year of Navin Jones, 8.

Brandon Walker and Stephanie Jones (1470 & 100.3 WMBD/Peoria County Jail)

Jones was found to have been malnourished and having suffered from a number of injuries, among other things, all allegedly at the hands of Walker and Stephanie Jones, 37.

25 News reports a judge Wednesday denied a motion from the state to prevent Navin’s 13-year-old brother from testifying.

The judge, however, said he would consider denying media coverage of the testimony.

He denied a request to ban the cameras and microphones of the media in the courtroom, but will disallow recording of four other witnesses for their safety.

Stephanie Jones is scheduled to go to trial in late-January on the same charges.