Free Keene

Cameras Banned from Keene Courthouse?

Filed under: Corruption, Hypocrisy — nick at 8:21 pm on Thursday, October 23, 2008

Camera This week, a non-local videographer interested in covering Ian Freeman’s “couch trial” (Wednesday, 10-29, at 10am) contacted the district court to ask about taking a camera into the court room. He was given the run-around as usual, and they eventually came back saying that cameras were not allowed in the court room.

Recently, the judge has allowed cameras and voice recorders in with no issue, and we have been silent and non-protesting over it because of his great judgment in allowing freedom of the press. However, here is this videographer’s account of his conversation with the court:

*I’m very aware that cameras were allowed and I told him as much. I tried to sound aware, but objective – he basically told me that the no camera rule is because “there’s a group of people trying to make an issue out of ‘having a right to film in the court’” and that they’re revoking it because “the judge has been very lenient up until now and it’s been abused”.*

Is this the show of some sort of crackdown against us? What kind of “abuse” has occurred because of the allowance of cameras? Or worse, are they planning a hard crackdown on Ian, and are banning cameras to disallow any recording of what happens? Stay tuned for updates and possible disobedience.

Comments (2)

2 Comments »

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Comment by Mike

October 24, 2008 @ 9:57 am

Wow! One way to proceed might be to ask to see the rule. Actually, a “rule” in a courthouse is baloney; ask to see the law or statute or whatever legal prohibition on cameras in the courthouse they claim exists. Then, you could continue by refuting the validity of restricting cameras – e.g., the public, the media – from recording public trials.

Another angle would be to point out that if cameras in the courtroom are indeed illegal, the judge himself has disobeyed the law by allowing them in the past (and, of course, there is video evidence of this ).

I’m also curious what’s wrong with “a group of people trying to make an issue out of ‘having a right to film in the court.’” Is the judge saying that people who make an issue of keeping their rights is a bad thing? Does he think that all people who make an issue about their constitutionally guaranteed rights are abusing those rights? Does the judge think that he needs to revoke all rights of all people who exercise their rights? Or is the judge merely targeting Ian?

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Comment by Vesuvius

October 25, 2008 @ 8:22 am

He’s not targeting Ian it seems, but rather the group of now familiar faces that don’t recognize his authority. They are like a bunch of little children making up new rules for tag and throwing a tantrum when someone doesn’t “play by the rules.” Press them on the issue and don’t back down.

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