From
The KDDK Advantage - September 2006
Cameras in the Courtroom
The Indiana Supreme Court recently
approved the use of video cameras and tape recorders
in Indiana’s trial courts in response to a request from
the Indiana Broadcaster’s Association and Hoosier State
Press Association. The program will undergo an eighteen-month
trial period.
“It is hoped that this experiment
will help inform the public about the workings of the
judicial system and remove any mystery about what happens
in a court room,”
Chief Justice Randall Shepard commented. Eight judges from various corners
of Indiana have agreed to participate in the test program.
Judge Wayne Trockman
was selected to represent Vanderburgh Superior Court in the project. The recorded
trials may appear on news, cable or courts programming.
The test project will have a number
of restrictions and safeguards. For example, participating
judges will prohibit videotaping or recording of police
informants,
undercover agents, minors and victims of sexual abuse, among others. The
judge also will have authority to interrupt or prohibit
the recording of any portion
of the trial if it is deemed that justice will be properly served only by
stopping the video or audio taping.
Media personnel and recording equipment
also will be regulated. The media may set up or remove
equipment only prior to court proceedings, during a
recess
or after adjournment. In addition, the equipment may not emit any distracting
light
or sounds. A maximum of one video camera, one still camera and three audio
recorders will be permitted in the court room during a trial.
Because of equipment limitations,
the news media will be required to make arrangements
prior to proceedings to pool the coverage taken in the
court
room, and the
arrangements must be approved by the presiding trial judge.
Following the completion of the eighteen-month
project, the entire effort will be evaluated. A report,
to be completed within 90 days, will summarize
the
impressions of judges, attorneys, jurors and media pool coordinators
who were directly involved
in the trials covered in the project. Chris Lee practices in the areas of
commercial, tort, construction and mass litigation, insurance
defense,
product liability and personal injury litigation. If
you have a question in any of these areas, contact
Chris at 812-423-3183 or clee@kddk.com. Lee Veazy is a
law student
at Indiana University School of Law in Bloomington.
<
House Bill 1101 Helps Protect Hoosiers Against
Potential
Identity Fraud
Negative Child Support>
Williams Receives National Scouting Award>>
Legislature On Aggressive Driving>>>
From the KDDK Archives>>>> |
