Supreme Court's Camera Pananoia Snares Intern

Politico reports that there has been another instance of an unauthorized camera in the Supreme Court: this time, by a CNN intern in the court's press room.

The court has a strict policy against cameras and other audio-visual recording devices in the courtroom and other areas of the court building, including the press room, which has a live audio feed from the courtroom.

This has led news networks to have interns stationed in the court's press room, ready to grab opinions as they are issued and sprint to the network reporters and cameras in front of the court building. CNN planned to use the camera to record this dash -- known colloquially as "the running of the interns" -- from the intern's perspective. But the intern turned the camera on while he was waiting.

Activists have covertly used video cameras to record proceedings in the courtroom, and posted the video online three times within the past 18 months (1, 2, 3). In 2012, court personnel asked an attorney who was apparently sending tweets from the court's overflow room for attorneys, which also has an audio feed.

Of course, all this effort would not be necessary if the the Court allowed cameras and other audio-visual equipment in the courtroom. But the Court has stubbornly refused.