I'm against it. To borrow CaliHornia's phrase, it encourages people who sense an "opportunity for stardom" to act in an overly dramatic manner for the camera: great for ratings, not so for the administration of justice.
Broadcasting Crown Court trials in England is something that occasionally comes under discussion but it has been fiercely and practically unanimously opposed by the judiciary. Indeed, not only are there no broadcasts of Crown Court trials, it is also a criminal offence punishable by up to two years' imprisonment to photograph or record proceedings without the prior permission of the judge:
Teenager jailed for taking photo at Luton Crown Court
A teenager from Luton has been jailed for two months for taking a photograph of a courtroom from the public gallery during a hearing.
Paul Thompson, 19, had gone to Luton Crown Court to support a friend facing a prison sentence for robbing an off-duty police officer.
He was seen taking a picture which he sent to a friend.
After his Blackberry phone was seized he admitted being in contempt of court and was jailed by Judge Barbara Mensah.
She said: "There are notices all around the court building about not taking photographs in court.
"This is a serious offence and the message must go out that people cannot take photos."
As she jailed him on Friday, Thompson said: "That's stupid, man."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...herts-15057842
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