EDAY081607
Home | Opinion Exchange | Letters
Letter of the day: Why is Minnesota judiciary camera-shy?
Your Aug. 5 article regarding the renewed effort to introduce cameras into the courtrooms in Minnesota piqued my interest as both a public defender and as a voting citizen. I fear, however, that it is an innovation that will never come to pass.
Print this story
E-mail this story
Save to del.icio.us
Share on newsvine
Share on DiggMore from Letters
Your Aug. 5 article regarding the renewed effort to introduce cameras into the courtrooms in Minnesota piqued my interest as both a public defender and as a voting citizen. I fear, however, that it is an innovation that will never come to pass.
The judiciary in Minnesota is acutely fearful of scrutiny. Take, for example, the Judicial Performance and Retention Survey that the Hennepin County Bar Association conducted yearly from 1991 through 2000, but then discontinued. It was no secret that the Hennepin County bench dreaded that evaluation and critique. More to the point, the judges have also long sought, albeit unsuccessfully, to change court rules and statutes that allow a party a one-time opportunity to strike a judge, no questions asked. The fear is that a campaign opponent might seize on that information for political gain.
In a state that has long prided itself on openness in government, it is a sad comment that one branch of government, a branch that should be consumer-oriented, is not only fearful of scrutiny, but is able to insulate itself from public accountability. Ask anyone who has been to court; they will tell you a tale of a long, long wait for a judge to take the bench or a tale of how the judge yelled or berated or humiliated some poor soul. Had there been cameras in the courtroom, the antics of retired Judge Harvey Ginsberg in Hennepin County and retired Judge R. Joseph Quinn in Anoka County, both of whom have had frequent and seismic eruptions while in court, would have been exposed long ago.
Cameras in the courtroom? A great idea that will never happen.
BRYAN J. LEARY, MINNETONKA; PUBLIC DEFENDER
About Opinion Exchange
Opinion Exchange is produced by the Editorial Department, which is dedicated to hosting the discussion on a range of issues of interest to Star Tribune readers online and in print. In its new format, it's our hope that Opinion Exhange will create a more dynamic dialogue between Star Tribune readers and the Editorial Board. Many individual posts will be written and signed by members of the Editorial Board and will reflect their own opinions. Daily editorials will continue to represent the institutional voice of the newspaper and be researched and written by the Editorial Department, which is independent of the newsroom.
Subscribe to RSS|Learn more about RSS
Recommended links
Categories
 Save Your $$ With CouponsDiscounts on services, entertainment, dining, gifts, and more. Start saving! |
Win tickets to see Fujiya & Miyagi at 7th Street Entry.Vita.mn presents Fujiya & Miyagi at 7th Street Entry on Feb. 11. |
Comment on this story | Read all 0 comments | Hide reader comments