FC: Did netcast of court proceedings include defense discussions?

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

http://www.bristolnews.com/News/news4.html

Clerk disputes claims that Internet
broadcast violated confidentiality

   By KATHY STILL
   Bristol Herald Courier

   WISE -- Circuit Court Clerk Jack Kennedy denied claims that
   confidential communications between defense attorneys and their
   clients can be overheard during live Internet broadcasts of Wise
   County court proceedings.

   "It's not factually correct, what has been suggested to the court,"
   Kennedy told Circuit Judge Robert Stump Friday during the fourth day
   of the Merry Christine Pease murder trial.

   The trial was the first major criminal proceeding in the county to be
   broadcast via the Internet. Wise County's is one of only three court
   systems in the United States that has the technology.

   Kennedy's comments came one day after Stump pulled the plug on the
   Pease trial broadcast. Defense attorneys Gerald Gray and Robert
   Galumbeck said they had learned that some of their conversations with
   Pease were audible to anyone watching the trial at www.courtbar.org.

   Impossible, Kennedy said Friday.

   The same microphones used in the courtroom sound system are used for
   the Internet broadcasts, he said. If the defense's claims were true,
   that would mean that everyone in the courtroom also could hear the
   hushed conversations.

   [...]

**********

> Date: Sat, 22 Apr 2000 11:17:59 -0400
> From: jkennedy () compunet net (Jack Kennedy Jr)
> Subject: Bleeding Edge
>
> Court Clerk defends courtroom webcast system, says defense
> conversations can't be heard over the Internet
>
> The same microphones used in the courtroom sound system are used for the 
> Internet
> broadcasts, he said. If the defense's claims were true, that would mean 
> that everyone
> in the courtroom also could hear the hushed conversations.
>
> Full Story: (cut-n-paste if necessary)
> http://www.timesnews.net/index.cgi?CONTEXT=story&BISKIT=95041948428584&id=30589&category=6
>
> http://www.bristolnews.com/News/news4.html
> (Saturday link only)
>
> http://www.courtbar.org/courtcam.htm
>
> -
>
>
>
> J. Jack Kennedy, Jr., Esq.
> Clerk of Wise Circuit Court
> P.O. Box 1248
> Wise, Virginia 24293-1248
> http://www.courtbar.org
>
> 540.328.6111 (o)    540.328.0039 (fax)
> 540.870.2200 (cell)    540.679.1523 (r)


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