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Moussaoui wants trial televised
05/01/2002 08:03 - (SA)
Alexandria, Virginia - Zacarias Moussaoui, the first person charged as an accomplice in the September 11 attacks, asked a judge on Friday to allow cameras to televise his conspiracy trial this autumn.
"Mr Moussaoui recognises that the American criminal justice
system will be on display for the entire world as the trial of this action proceeds," said a defence motion supporting a proposal by
Court TV to carry the proceedings.
Televising the trial will "add an additional layer of protection
to see these proceedings are fairly conducted", his lawyers argued
in the motion.
Normally, cameras are banned from federal courtrooms although
the Oklahoma City bombing trial was shown on closed circuit TV to
the victims' families.
The government is expected to weigh in later on Friday with its
recommendation.
Moussaoui's motion asked the judge not to permit televising any
pre-trial proceedings. Jury selection is set to begin on September 30, with opening arguments to begin about two weeks later.
The defence expressed concern that anything said during pre-trial
arguments and during jury selection could prejudice potential
jurors who may "become exposed to information that will not be
admissable at trial".
The defence motion also asked that if the jury wasn't
sequestered - confined after trial hours to a hotel or secure
location to avoid publicity - that TV cameras should be restricted
to live coverage. They asked that the tape not allowed to be
replayed when jurors might be able to watch it.
"There is a risk that a non-sequestered jury might, despite the
order of the court, see testimony that has already been given in
court and thus give undo weight to the replayed testimony," the
lawyers argued.
Court TV has asked US District Judge Leonie Brinkeman for
permission to broadcast the trial.
TV cameras prohibited in courtrooms
Although many state courts allow trials to be broadcast, federal rules explicitly prohibit TV cameras in courtrooms. Lawyers for Court TV have argued that prohibition is unconstitutional.
The cable network also asked to broadcast pre-trial proceedings.
A hearing on Court TV's request is scheduled for next week.
Moussaoui, a French citizen of Moroccan descent, is charged with
conspiring with Osama bin Laden, the hijackers and others to commit
the September 11 attacks and could get the death penalty if convicted.
Congressional legislation allowed families of the Oklahoma City
bombing victims to watch Timothy McVeigh's trial on a
closed-circuit broadcast.
Senator George Allen of Virginia has introduced similar legislation
for the Moussaoui trial and the families of the September 11 victims.
The bill has passed the Senate and will be considered by the House.
Four federal circuit courts have upheld the constitutionality of
the federal rule barring the broadcast of criminal trials. But
those cases were heard between 1983 and 1988, and technology has
changed since then to make cameras much less disruptive, Court TV
has argued.
Court TV, a division of AOL Time Warner, has televised more than 700 trials and judicial proceedings since its inception in 1991.
Among the most notable televised trials was that of OJ Simpson.
- Sapa-AP
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