Prop 8 Trial Closing Arguments May Be Televised After All
The closing arguments in Perry vs. Schwarzenegger might just be televised after all.
Despite a rebuff from the U.S. Supreme Court, the Bay Area's federal judges are again proposing to allow cameras in their courtrooms, a plan that could lead to telecasting of closing arguments in a suit challenging California's ban on same-sex marriage. The U.S. District Court in San Francisco has posted a rule change on its Web site that would allow its judges to take part in a pilot program of airing selected nonjury civil trials. The public comment period began Feb. 4 and ends Thursday.Protect Marriage says they won't speculate on opposing the broadcast until they know if it is really going to happen.
The proposal is the same one Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker adopted in January after a week of overwhelmingly favorable public comment. But the Supreme Court intervened when Walker approved camera coverage of the trial over Proposition 8, the November 2008 initiative that outlawed same-sex marriage.
Labels: cameras in the courtroom, Perry v Schwarzenengger, Proposition 8, Vaughn Walker