By Liz Sawyer
A Dakota County District Court judge on Wednesday denied Minnesota Supreme Court candidate Michelle MacDonald's request to allow cameras in the courtroom during her upcoming DWI trial.
Judge Leslie M. Metzen, ruling from the bench, cited judicial precedent in prohibiting cameras in the courtroom and stressed the potential for distractions with their presence.
MacDonald's lawyer, Stephen V. Grigsby, argued that "The most objective way for the public to attend [the trial] is through the presence of a camera." MacDonald attended the hearing but did not speak during the court appearance.
MacDonald, a family law attorney endorsed by the Republican Party, faces a trial on Monday for a 2013 arrest in which police say she resisted arrest and refused a breathalyzer test after an officer said he smelled alcohol during a traffic stop. MacDonald is running against Justice Lillehaug, who was appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton.
MacDonald told reporters after the hearing that she didn't expect Metzen's ruling to impede her ability to receive a fair trial, but said it limited public access.
MacDonald made headlines in mid-August after filing a complaint alleging that GOP officials disseminated false information about her and attempted to coerce her into rejecting their endorsement. An administrative judge dismissed that claim on Tuesday.
