Early Decision On Prop 8: Cameras, Yes. Live Streaming, NO.

Ninth District Court Judge Vaughn Walker has just nixed a request from two television groups to live-stream the proceedings during next week's Proposition 8 trial. But it appears that we may get to see YouTube'd clips on the following day. Via Karen Ocamb at LGBT POV:

Despite thousands of people responding to a request for comments on allowing a live TV pool camera in the courtroom for the federal Prop 8 trial starting next Monday, Judge Vaughn Walker just declined that offer by a Media Coalition and In Session TV. However, Judge Walker ordered a TV recording of the proceedings for delayed web distribution on YouTube the next day – pending approval by the 9th Circuit. Judge Walker did note in court that the public comment is still open but apparently did not indicate whether any public comment would change his decision. The deadline for public comment is Friday.

If this decision holds, I'd say this is still a win for us. Not many would be able to view the trial live during the daytime anyway and would probably look to blogs for highlight clips.

UPDATE: Maggie Gallagher is VERY unhappy.

This is no ordinary trial. This is a trial in a case where thousands of ordinary citizens have already faced a wave of hatred for participating in democracy. On Oct. 22, the Heritage Foundation released a report titled "The Price of Prop. 8," which concluded that "supporters of Proposition 8 in California have been subjected to harassment, intimidation, vandalism, racial scapegoating, blacklisting, loss of employment, economic hardships, angry protests, violence, at least one death threat, and gross expressions of anti-religious bigotry." (Read it at www.heritage.org.) To deliberately and needlessly expose these people to a new wave of publicity and attacks by televising the trial is outrageous.