UK courts to be televised

[Robot Chicken]

Justice court on camera
By JOHN KAY
Chief Reporter

TV CAMERAS are to be allowed into English courts for the first time.

Britain’s top law officer, Lord Falconer, has given the go-ahead to the pilot scheme.

If successful, it will pave the way for full coverage of UK courts, including sensational trials at the Old Bailey.

Lord Falconer — the Lord Chancellor — is allowing TV cameras into the top two English appeal courts.

One is the Lord Chief Justice’s court and the second is the Master of the Rolls court - which hears appeals in civil cases.

If it is a success, a direct feed could allow TV channels to broadcast clips of future cases during news bulletins.

Eventually, channels dedicated to court coverage could be established.

A source close to the Lord Chancellor said: “This is a major step and one which we must be very careful about. But justice should not only be done, it should be seen to be done.”

Millions of Americans are already glued to their sets nightly, especially when trials involve celebs such as O.J. Simpson — cleared of murder in 1995.

US viewers saw rapper Eminem admit carrying a weapon and court proceedings involving Whitney Houston’s husband Bobby Brown.

A battle is now under way to allow cameras into Michael Jackson’s sensational child abuse trial in the autumn.

Judges barred TV from pre-trial hearings fearing the coverage could influence a jury.

 

[Rambo]

I dont get it, if Tv cameras are allowed into Courts, all they are going to see is a load of sofas.
Whats the point in that?

 

[interjambo]

IS this English (and Welsh) courts only or also Scotland (and Northern Ireland for that matter)?

Against it myself either way

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

I dont get it, if Tv cameras are allowed into Courts, all they are going to see is a load of sofas.
Whats the point in that?

get your coat

 

[Scotty Mac]

a british version of judge judy.....excellent

 

[itszamora]

Oh dear, we are becoming more and more like America every day. There goes any chance of fair trials unaffected by media hysteria. It's bad enough whith the papers (Huntley, Whiting etc.) but now if TV will be showing trials too our legal system will turn into even more than the antiquated joke it already is

 

[Yorkie]

I have serious doubts about it. Not because of the need to see justice being done but because a lot of cases depend on prosecution witnesses giving evidence.

Many cases fail because people sign statements but then as the trial approaches decline to go to court to actually give evidence.

 

[SussexSpur]

Oh dear, we are becoming more and more like America every day. There goes any chance of fair trials unaffected by media hysteria. It's bad enough whith the papers (Huntley, Whiting etc.) but now if TV will be showing trials too our legal system will turn into even more than the antiquated joke it already is

I think I sort of understand your point, but strange choice of examples. Understand it's now open season on them both - ie. anyone can sell their story to the papers, accusing them of all sorts - but I don't reserve too much sympathy for them. Nor believe their woes are solely media-generated.
And surely this would be a step against the weirdly antiquated nature of the legal system at the moment. Eg. Wigs for barristers and judges / Press allowed to photograph witnesses and defendants only if they're not stepping on property officially deemed the court or "its surroundings".
Okay, I know I've chosen comparatively trivial examples there, in relation to justice itself. But think televised court hearings are now an inevitability.
Wasn't there someone fairly high up suggesting the other day that the Diana inquest would be televised. Maybe that will open the floodgates.