Closing arguments
We've had a lot of inquiries about attending closing arguments. Barring surprises, closing arguments will take place tomorrow afternoon, after the cross examination of Dr. Scott Minnich. Here is the Middle District's website on attending the proceedings.
posted by ACLU of Pennsylvania at 11/03/2005 09:04:00 PM
6 Comments:
"Passes may not be reserved in advance for members of the public. A closed circuit audio feed has been installed in an auxiliary room where the trial will be broadcast for those who are unable to be accommodated in the courtroom."
Has anyone thought about recording this thing? Audio transcripts are so much more alive than text.
This is true. I'd love to hear exactly how Judge Jones said "And your reason that you didn't mention Mr. Buckingham's name on January 3rd of 2005 is because you said you misspoke??!!?" on that fateful Day 18.
Court TV wanted to put the trial on TV, but Judge Jones ruled against them citing rules against video and audio taping. York Dispatch story.
Courts are far too secretive; compared to the legislative branch at any rate. I think all bench trials should be open to television. I can understand jury trials where people have no choice but to get on the stand and potentially have what they say be the difference between going to prison or being free. But trials like this are entirely different.
This is important to a lot of people. No one can go to jail because of this (unless they get caught lying I suppose) and the notion of open government seems pretty hollow when the courts can shut the public out without even having to make up a reason, much less actually have a real one, never mind having a real good reason.
Would it be possible however to have copies of the CTV motions and Judge Jones rulings on them?
Response to Paul Tenny: I don't think the public has been shut out simply because the proceedings are not broadcast on TV. People, including judges and lawyers, behave differently when they know they are on TV. If a judge thinks this would be detrimental to the proceedings he should prohibit it.
Any news on how closing arguments went, or when transcripts will be up?
It sounds like the testimony regarding the planned changes to the social studies curriculum was very powerful. What a great way to close out the evidence! It really helps reinforce the "purpose" prong of the Lemon test. At the same time, it gives the judge a chance to see that these folks aren't going to be satisfied with introducing religion just into the Biology curriculum--if given the chance, they will establish, as Brad Neal so aptly put it, "the 'living word driven' school district."
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