SCOTUS Votes 5-4 To Block Live TV Cameras From Prop 8 Trial

This evening the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the cowardly bigots and ruled 5-4 to block live television cameras from the courtroom in Perry Vs. Schwarzenegger, saying that witnesses faced "irreparable harm" from vindictive homofascists if their faces were broadcast to the world.

On Monday the Court issued a temporary injunction blocking cameras pending today's final decision. Today's ruling did not mention posting clips of the trial on the internet, an issue awaiting a ruling from a federal appeals court.

The high court's five conservatives formed the majority. They said federal judge Vaughan Walker didn't follow court rules when he ordered proceedings broadcast by closed circuit to federal courthouses in several cities. The Supreme Court's four liberals joined a dissent written by Justice Stephen Breyer. The main issue in the case is whether a 2008 voter initiative called Proposition 8 violates the U.S. Constitution by creating a law that discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation. Defenders of Proposition 8 say it validly defined marriage in traditional terms by restricting marriage to people who could have children naturally. The proposition's defenders said broadcasting the proceedings could expose witnesses favoring the gay-marriage ban to harassment and ridicule. The Supreme Court majority backed that view, saying Proposition 8 supporters would likely suffer "irreparable harm" if the proceedings were shown through the closed-circuit feed.

The ruling can be read in full here. (PDF)