One of the three men accused of raping a young woman before she was killed wants to prevent her friends, family and supporters from wearing pink at the upcoming trial.
Madison Brooks, 19, was a student at Louisiana State University when she was hit by a car and killed after a group of men allegedly raped her then dumped her out of a vehicle on a Baton Rouge highway in 2023.
The driver involved in the fatal crash stayed on scene and was cleared of charges.
Three years later, one of the accused rapists, Desmond Carter, 21, will appear before a judge later this month.
Prosecutors allege Carter, Kaivon Washington and Casen Carver sexually assaulted Brooks inside a vehicle after a night of drinking together at a local bar; all three men face rape charges in the incident.
According to local outlet Supreme Court cases "Sheppard v. Maxwell" and "Estes v. Texas" concerning media-driven "carnival atmospheres" and procedural fairness to argue that spectator displays compromise Carter's right to a fair trial.
The prosecution opposed the motion, characterizing the pink clothing as victim advocacy rather than jury intimidation.