Chauvin Trial Shows Importance of Court Access

There has been a lot of attention focused on the ongoing trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd. Occurring in the context of often-heated discussions of police treatment of minorities, the trial has been shown live on TV and online, and most of the coverage by other media has relied on these live feeds.

This shows that a trial can be covered by cameras without turning into a sensation. And it provides a good example of the reasons why courts should be open to the press and other observers, and that media coverage of the courts can play an important role in showing the functioning of the courts and the basis for legal rulings and verdicts.

https://scpress.org/chauvin-trial-shows-importance-of-court-access/

Seattle Subpoena Fight Is First Amendment Dilemma

 My August column for the South Carolina Press Association...

Protests, Free Speech and Press Freedom

From a First Amendment perspective, the direst events of the past few weeks were the numerous instances of police, law enforcement officers and (in Washington, D.C.) national guard soldiers (in Washington, D.C.) using aggressive tactics and violence against protesters who were peacefully—although sometimes angrily and loudly—utilizing their First Amendment rights to speak, assemble and air their grievances to the government. It was especially troubling when these aggressive tactics and violence were used against journalists covering the protests.

My latest column for the South Carolina Press Association....

https://scpress.org/protests-free-speech-and-press-freedom/