Calgary stabbings: Judge reserves decision on unsealing court document

A decision on whether potentially graphicdetails surrounding the fatal stabbings of five young Calgarians will be released to the media has been reserved by a Calgary judge until March.

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Provincial court Judge Tim Hironaka heard an application from the media to unseal a document calledan information to obtain (ITO), which is also known as a search warrant application.

The ITO contains details about what happened early in the morning on April 15 in Brentwoodin northwest Calgary.

The victims, who were all in their 20s, were celebrating the end of university classes at a home in the area when the stabbings happened.Lawrence Hong,Joshua Hunter,Kaitlin Perras,Zackariah Rathwell andJordan Segura were killed.

Families and friends of the five people fatally stabbedfilled the Calgary courtroom today for the proceedings.

The judge heardarguments from a lawyer representing the CBC, as well as other media outlets,askingthe ITO be unsealed.

Arguing against the unsealing are Crown prosecutors, as well as a lawyer for the Calgary police and several friends and family of the victimswho were allowed to make submissions.

Earlier this month the victims families issued a public plea for the ITO to remain sealed because it contains "the most graphic details of the crime."

"Our priority as we try and rebuild our lives is to protect the dignity of our lost children and try and prevent the revictimization of the young people who were traumatized by the events of April 15, 2014," the statement read."They continue to relive every detail of that night, and the last thing any of us need at this time is additional anguish and sorrow."

There is a publication ban on the details of the arguments presented on Wednesday.

Matthew DeGrood, 23, is charged with five counts of first-degree murder in connection to the slayings.He has undergone a number of psychiatric assessments, thelatest ofwhich is also sealed.

Hispreliminary hearing hasbeenscheduled for March.