Judge won't make tapes available in Libby trial

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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/nation/4458310.html

WASHINGTON — A federal judge said today he would not make available daily audio recordings of the upcoming trial of Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff.

News organizations had asked that recordings of testimony and arguments be released for broadcast. U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton denied the request, saying the only recording of court proceedings is done by the court stenographer to help ensure an accurate transcript.

"This recording, however, is produced by the court reporter's personal equipment and is not the official record of the proceedings," Walton said. "It is therefore not available to the public."

The Supreme Court releases audio recordings of arguments in major cases, and lower federal courts have started to follow the Supreme Court's lead, lawyers for the news organizations said in court documents.