A judge in Minnesota is upholding his decision to livestream the trial against the four former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd.
In a ruling issued Friday, Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill cited the immense global interest in the case and limited courthouse space amid the “unique and unprecedented situation” brought by the coronavirus pandemic, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported. The trial is scheduled for March 2021.
Cahill dismissed concerns by state prosecutors, who argued in a motion filed Nov. 25 that recording audio and visuals of the trial would violate court rules and scare away potential witnesses. Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office, which is leading the prosecution, asked that Cahill rescind his previous ruling issued on Nov. 4 or consider narrowing the scope of outside access.
In a motion filed Dec. 14, a coalition of media organizations, including Fox/UTV Holdings, LLC, which owns the station Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul, requested camera access to the courtroom, arguing that televising the high-profile trial would increase transparency and better guarantee Sixth and First Amendment protections, especially during pandemic-era social distancing requirements.
On Friday, Cahill declined to modify his original ruling, writing that although he had granted more extensive video coverage than allowed in court rules, he is permitted to modify the rules “in any case to prevent manifest injustice.”