Judge rules on what jury can hear in Lloyd Welch Jr. trial

BEDFORD (WSLS10)- A Bedford judge rules that the Commonwealth is bound by a Maryland immunity agreement in the Lloyd Welch Jr. case and denies defense motions to suppress some statements made by Welch to investigators.

Welch is set to stand trial in Bedford County for the 1975 murders of Katherine and Sheila Lyon, two young sisters from Maryland.

Last month the prosecution and defense made a joint request asking Judge James Updike to write an opinion on issues before the trial.

The first issue pertains to an October 16, 2013, immunity letter between Welch and the Montgomery County, Maryland State's Attorney. That office said it would not use Welch's statements against him in criminal proceedings. The judge's ruling means the prosecution will be bound to the letter, even though it was signed a year prior to Bedford County's involvement in the case.

The second issue is that Welch wasn't read his Miranda rights before he made statements on three dates in 2015.  In one of those statements, Welch admitted to profiling and abducting the girls from a shopping center.   Judge Updike did not find that Welch made clear and unambiguous requests for an attorney prior to making statements to investigators on those three occasions.

A motions hearing is currently set for January 24.