Prop. 8 Not A Show Trial Yet
Chuck Donovan /
The U.S. Supreme Court, with one justice writing in dissent, agreed today with attorneys who argued against the broadcasting and posting of the trial proceedings in Perry v. Schwarzenegger – the case challenging the constitutionality of California’s popularly approved Proposition 8 preserving marriage as the union of one man and one woman. The Court granted a temporary stay prohibiting any streaming video broadcast outside the courthouse.
Presiding Judge Vaughn Walker had ruled last week that the proceedings in the case could be filmed and posted on YouTube after each day’s testimony. Attorneys defending Prop 8 had argued against the delayed broadcasting via the Internet on the grounds that to do so could both influence the content of the testimony and foster subsequent intimidation of, or reprisals against, experts testifying on behalf of traditional marriage. (more…)