Camera's in the Courtroom

As I watch the news tonight I can't help but think back 6 or 7 years to a speech I heard in undergrad. The speaker was (then) Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Ed Pittman and the speech was about putting camera's in the courtrooms to help make the courts more transparent. This seemed to be very important for Chief Justice Pittman and has become one of his most notable pieces of his legacy on the bench.

This speech has revisted me with the most recent trial of Frank Melton where a camera in the courtroom has been fed to the Jackson television stations and is live streaming on their websites for anyone to view when court is in session. Additionally, most oral arguments before the Mississippi Supreme Court and Court of Appeals are broadcast on the Supreme Courts website. Back in 2001 I though Justice Pittman's idea of the camera's was good but now it seems as they are actually working as he planned it seems like a terrific idea, allowing us a look into trials ranging from Edgar Ray Killen to Frank Melton to Haley Barbour v. the Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi, all of which were streamed across the state for those who wanted to watch.

For live videos feeds of the Supreme Court & the Court of Appeals see here
For the statement released by the Court when camera's were first allowed see here
For the most recent streaming involving the mayor of our state capital you can go to WLBT, WAPT or WJTV and catch their streams.