Judge to rule on what portion of national talk show episode will be allowed at Mary Beth Haglin trial

A judge will rule on Wednesday what statements made by Mary Beth Haglin on a segment of Dr. Phil will be allowed to be admitted as evidence at her sex exploitation trial next week in Tama County District Court.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Kevin McKeever and the attorneys took up pending motions, mostly legal issues over what testimony would be allowed in trial, which starts next Monday in Tama County. The trial was moved based on pretrial publicity, although the publicity that triggered the move was coverage of employee dismissals at Cedar Rapids Washington High School rather than more high profile media appearances.

Haglin, 24, a former substitute teacher at Washington High, is charged with felony sexual exploitation by a school employee. She is accused of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student from January to May of this year. If convicted, she faces up to five years in prison.

During the hearing, Katie Frank, Haglin's lawyer, asked the court to not allow a video of the Dr. Phil segment to be submitted as evidence by the prosecution because they don't have the 'original,” which violates the rules of evidence. She also said she didn't know the prosecution was going to submit the video as evidence and it wasn't shared with her.

Assistant Linn County Attorney Monica Slaughter said it wasn't possible to get an original but they have a copy of the entire segment, including commercials, and it had no redactions at this point because they just got it on Monday. Slaughter gave the prosecution's exhibit list to Frank.

Frank agreed that she knew of the other evidence, except for the Dr. Phil segment.

Haglin went on Dr. Phil in October and admitted to and gave details of the sexual relationship with the 17-year-old student.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Kevin McKeever seem to agree with the prosecution that a copy would be acceptable. He said, however, he wasn't going to rule on what statements would be inadmissible until the defense could cite specific examples they found to be misleading. McKeever advised the prosecutors to review the video and decide what portions they want to submit and then the defense can decide what statements it believes shouldn't be submitted. Slaughter said the only interviews they planned to submit at trial is the Dr. Phil segment and ones police investigators conducted with Haglin. She said no others would be mentioned.

Haglin participated in other national television news or entertainment shows, including Crime Watch Daily and Inside Edition, as well as some interviews with local press.

Prosecutors and Frank also agreed statements regarding how the internal investigation of Haglin's actions led to two administrators resigning would be limited, and could be objected to at the time it comes into testimony.

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