Policy shift could put Prop. 8 suit on TV

[Newsjock]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

Television cameras will be allowed for the first time in federal trials, under an experimental program approved by a San Francisco-based appeals court Thursday that could lead to TV coverage of a lawsuit challenging California's same-sex marriage ban.

Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, presiding over the case on the constitutionality of Proposition 8, has said he may approve TV coverage of the trial, scheduled to start Jan. 11 in San Francisco.

On Thursday, the Judicial Council of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said it would allow experimental use of cameras throughout the nine-state circuit.

... Lawyers for the plaintiffs told Walker in October that they would not object to television coverage. But sponsors of Prop. 8 protested that allowing cameras was contrary to national court policy and a potential threat to trial participants.

The appeals court's new policy does not require the trial judge to obtain consent from both sides for television coverage, said court spokesman David Madden.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/12/17/MNKM1B623E.DTL&tsp=1

[tomm2thumbs]

1. light of day as the natural disinfectant - how appropriate

are they embarrassed to be seen attacking the rights of others in a forum other than obnoxious, lying TV ads?

hmmmmm....

[Fearless]

2. Should be good watching.

:popcorn: