As first (at least, first we could find) reported by LegalPad, the judge who’s handling the challenge to Prop 8, Judge Vaughn Walker reportedly summoned both sides in the case:
into his chambers for a little chat — out of the press’s earshot. Turns out Walker wanted to float the idea of broadcasting the January trial, but not just to an overflow room in the federal building. He wanted to know how the lawyers felt about making the trial available for broadcast on a television station, according to a letter filed in the case.
The Chronicle’s Bob Egelko wrote today (well, probably yesterday, if it’s in today’s paper, you know how that goes!) that: lawyers for the couples challenging the same sex marriage ban, well as CA Attorney General Jerry Brown’s office and the city of San Francisco (a co-plaintiff in the case) are all for it.
However, the lawyer for the folks on the pro Prop 8 side say that “In light of the ‘highly contentious and politicized nature’ of the issue…TV coverage could result in ‘compromised safety, witness intimidation, and/or harassment of trial participants.'”
And, well, maybe I can see that, but a big part of me doesn’t care because I WOULD LOVE TO WATCH THIS SHOW.
A friend who knows way more about this stuff than I do says “It sounds unlikely.” and adds that “It’s a lot for Walker to ask.” To which we respond “please do not bore us with your ‘reason’ Prop 8 trial live! Prop 8 trial live! Or, even better, primetime!”
