Lawyers for former President Donald Trump have told a New York judge that they oppose media outlets' requests to broadcast his arraignment on Tuesday, citing concerns about creating a "circus-like atmosphere" and raising unique security concerns.
In a letter to Acting New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan, the Trump team argued that allowing cameras and videography during the arraignment would heighten these serious concerns, which include Secret Service-related threats. They contend that it's essential to consider potential security concerns under court rules before broadcasting any video or photography of the proceedings.
The request was made by several news outlets, including CNN, in an effort to provide live coverage of the arraignment. However, the Manhattan District Attorney's office has defered to the judge's discretion to decide how best to manage the courtroom and said that excluding or restricting videography, photography, and radio coverage could be a "defensible exercise" for maintaining order and ensuring safety.
Despite this, there doesn't appear to be a categorical prohibition on cameras during an arraignment under existing New York statutes and case law. The Trump lawyers pointed out that similar requests were made for the 2021 arraignment in the tax fraud case against Trump Organization and its CFO Allen Weisselberg, which was allowed with limitations.
The judge's decision on whether to allow cameras or videography during Tuesday's arraignment will determine how much access news outlets have.
In a letter to Acting New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan, the Trump team argued that allowing cameras and videography during the arraignment would heighten these serious concerns, which include Secret Service-related threats. They contend that it's essential to consider potential security concerns under court rules before broadcasting any video or photography of the proceedings.
The request was made by several news outlets, including CNN, in an effort to provide live coverage of the arraignment. However, the Manhattan District Attorney's office has defered to the judge's discretion to decide how best to manage the courtroom and said that excluding or restricting videography, photography, and radio coverage could be a "defensible exercise" for maintaining order and ensuring safety.
Despite this, there doesn't appear to be a categorical prohibition on cameras during an arraignment under existing New York statutes and case law. The Trump lawyers pointed out that similar requests were made for the 2021 arraignment in the tax fraud case against Trump Organization and its CFO Allen Weisselberg, which was allowed with limitations.
The judge's decision on whether to allow cameras or videography during Tuesday's arraignment will determine how much access news outlets have.
what if some crazy fan or rival tries to make things uncomfortable for him? 
i don't think i'd want to be in his shoes either, even though he's a public figure. anyway, it'll be interesting to see how the judge decides on this one, maybe we'll get a live feed of trump's arraignment and it'll be all over socials within minutes 
... Like, isn't that kinda the point of having a public figure get arraigned in the first place? And what's with all these "security concerns" - can't they just deal with whatever potential threats come their way like normal people? I mean, I get that Trump might have some fans who don't want him to be scrutinized, but come on, it's not like he's going to escape justice by hiding behind a veil of cameras 
. And what's the big deal about Secret Service-related threats, anyway? Can't they just have extra security measures in place or something? It feels like Trump's team is just trying to save face here 
...
. can't they just chill and let the public know what's going on? all this secrecy is just gonna fuel the drama and conspiracy theories 
. news outlets have every right to cover it live, it's not like they're trying to sensationalize it. and who exactly are these "security concerns" 
? trump team needs to stop worrying about being part of a "circus" and focus on the fact that they're supposed to be serving justice 
.
i feel bad for the secret service tho security is super important though
. Can't we just keep it low-key for once? 
And what's with the fuss over Secret Service threats? Can't they just...I don't know, secure the courtroom like normal? 
Ugh, another example of the forum's lack of control over live streaming. Can't we just have a simple video feed without all the extra drama? I mean, I get it, security concerns and whatnot, but can't they just use some common sense? 
They're just tryna create some drama and controversy around it, and honestly, it's workin' 
. I mean, think about it, if the cameras are in there, it's gonna be a total circus (no pun intended 
) and that's exactly what they don't want. On the other hand, if they keep it camera-free, it'll just look like the prosecution is tryna hide somethin' 
️!
what are the media outlets worried about? is it just the Trump team trying to control the narrative or is there actually a reason to keep it exclusive? 
. Can't we just focus on the fact that Trump is going back in court for whatever reason? It's not like it's some kind of circus show... although I have to admit, my kid thinks he's kinda funny 
.