A day that will live in history
Comments (...)Not every day is a historic day. Tuesday was.
No, astronauts didn’t land on the moon.
The first black president wasn’t inaugurated.
The Soviet Union didn’t crumble.
But an experimental program to allow news media cameras and microphones in Whiteside, Rock Island, Henry and Mercer county courtrooms was approved.
The Illinois Supreme Court said yes to an application from Chief Judge Jeffrey O’Connor of the 14th Judicial Circuit to allow cameras and mikes in trial courtrooms.
Never before in the state’s history has that been allowed.
But after Tuesday’s court order, as announced by Chief Justice Thomas Kilbride, it soon will be.
“Today’s order is a historic one,” Kilbride said.
“For the first time in state history, citizens not physically present will be able to see and hear proceedings in our trial courts.”
Think about it. The public, through the still and video cameras and microphones of the news media, will start getting a look at court cases without having to attend trials in person.
That’s a remarkable improvement in judicial transparency, as noted by Kilbride.
“My colleagues and I announced this change in policy hoping to promote greater openness and accountability. But we must carefully balance the goal of openness with the rights of defendants and parties to have fair trials,” he said.
Fair enough. The right to a fair trial certainly must be protected. We believe the detailed rules of the Extended Media Coverage Pilot Project offer that protection while giving the public a long-awaited look into court proceedings through modern news-gathering technology.
It’s fitting that Kilbride, the architect of the new cameras-in-the-courtroom initiative, will have it inaugurated in his hometown of Rock Island.
“This pilot project will allow us to test the policy we have put in place and see if it is workable in Illinois, or if any changes need to be made before moving toward a full statewide policy.”
O’Connor deserves plaudits for stepping forward to lead the pilot project. He said he already has met with some news media representatives, judges and court personnel, and he plans additional meetings soon so the pilot project can go into effect.
For the Sauk Valley, the biggest initial impact may be at the March trial of Nicholas Sheley, who is charged with killing Russell Reed of Sterling in June 2008. Since O’Connor will preside over that trial, it’s possible he could allow cameras and microphones inside the courtroom.
O’Connor and other 14th Circuit judges will report to the Supreme Court on their experiences as Kilbride and his fellow justices prepare to introduce cameras and microphones statewide.
We are grateful that Kilbride continues to promote a cause our editorial board strongly supports. We tip our hat to O’Connor for his vital role in the implementation and evaluation of the experimental program.
And we thank them for making Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012, a truly historic day.
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