Trump Team Opposes Live Broadcast of Arraignment on Tuesday
In a move that has sparked controversy, lawyers for former President Donald Trump have told a New York judge that they oppose media outlets' requests to broadcast Trump's arraignment on Tuesday. The Trump team argued that allowing live coverage would create a "circus-like atmosphere," raise unique security concerns, and be inconsistent with Trump's presumption of innocence.
In a letter to Acting New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchant, the Trump lawyers stated that they submit the media request should be denied due to these reasons. They emphasized that any video or photography of the proceedings would only heighten the serious security concerns in the case, including Secret Service-related issues.
The move has been met with pushback from the Manhattan District Attorney's office, which is also requesting camera access for the arraignment. However, the DA's office said it would be a defensible exercise of the court's discretion to exclude or restrict videography and photography if deemed necessary by the judge.
It's worth noting that there doesn't appear to be a categorical prohibition on cameras during an arraignment in New York statutes and case law. The district attorney's lawyer pointed out that similar requests for audio-video broadcasting were allowed in 2021 for another Trump-related case, but only limited to still photographs prior to the proceedings.
CNN is among the outlets requesting camera access for Tuesday's arraignment, and it remains to be seen how Judge Merchant will rule on this matter. The live broadcast of the arraignment has significant implications for public interest in a high-profile case involving one of America's most prominent figures.
In a move that has sparked controversy, lawyers for former President Donald Trump have told a New York judge that they oppose media outlets' requests to broadcast Trump's arraignment on Tuesday. The Trump team argued that allowing live coverage would create a "circus-like atmosphere," raise unique security concerns, and be inconsistent with Trump's presumption of innocence.
In a letter to Acting New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchant, the Trump lawyers stated that they submit the media request should be denied due to these reasons. They emphasized that any video or photography of the proceedings would only heighten the serious security concerns in the case, including Secret Service-related issues.
The move has been met with pushback from the Manhattan District Attorney's office, which is also requesting camera access for the arraignment. However, the DA's office said it would be a defensible exercise of the court's discretion to exclude or restrict videography and photography if deemed necessary by the judge.
It's worth noting that there doesn't appear to be a categorical prohibition on cameras during an arraignment in New York statutes and case law. The district attorney's lawyer pointed out that similar requests for audio-video broadcasting were allowed in 2021 for another Trump-related case, but only limited to still photographs prior to the proceedings.
CNN is among the outlets requesting camera access for Tuesday's arraignment, and it remains to be seen how Judge Merchant will rule on this matter. The live broadcast of the arraignment has significant implications for public interest in a high-profile case involving one of America's most prominent figures.
. I mean, come on, isn't it kinda their job to answer for some pretty shady stuff? And yeah, security concerns are valid, but a "circus-like atmosphere" sounds like more like a bunch of overblown drama 
. Plus, what's the point of having a public figure if not to face the music under scrutiny? The DA should be able to request camera access and let the people decide for themselves – it's all about transparency, right? 
Trump's team is trying to block live coverage of his arraignment, saying it'll create a "circus-like atmosphere" 
... like they're the ones putting on the show, not the public 
. on the other hand, if cameras are allowed, we'll know exactly what's going down in that courtroom and who's responsible (or not 
). i'm kinda torn about this one... as a viewer, i want to see it all go down live, but at the same time, trump's got some serious egg on his face 
. judge merchant's gotta make a call on this one! 
I mean, can't they just chill? A little transparency wouldn't hurt anyone, you know? Trump gets to defend himself, and the public gets to see it all go down live on TV... 
Plus, with all the drama surrounding this case, I'm pretty sure a camera crew won't cause too much chaos. It'll just be another day in the Trump saga 
. And let's be real, if it was me on trial, I'd want everyone to know what's going down too! 
I mean, security concerns are definitely valid, but aren't there ways to mitigate those without basically shutting down the whole event? 
it seems like all he wants is to get through this arraignment without too much drama & controversy, but the media is just trying to do their job 
i think judge merchant has a tough decision ahead of him 
. Like, what's next? Secret underground tunnels to escape the cameras? "Circus-like atmosphere" sounds like an official excuse for their desire for a private arraignment... and let's be real, who are we kidding? This is all about controlling the narrative and keeping Trump's PR machine from getting derailed 
. The DA's office trying to play it cool by saying it's about security concerns, but I'm not buying it 
. And honestly, can't we just have a good old-fashioned live broadcast for once? It's America, folks! We deserve to know what's going down in the Trump case 
i mean i get that security concerns and all but cmon it's not like he's gonna jump out of the courtroom or somethin 
, I knew this was gonna happen. Trump is just trying to save his image from getting totally trashed on live TV. Like, who wants their arraignment broadcasted worldwide? It's gonna be a total circus, and the only people who'll get to see it are the ones with the best seats in the house... aka the paparazzi 
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. I mean, what's the real reason they're trying to hide this from the public? Is it because Trump's guilty as sin? 
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. Maybe Judge Merchant will find a way to balance security and public interest? Fingers crossed 
We want to see how this plays out. Can't his lawyers handle the security concerns themselves? 
this is all about Trump's ego and not about doing justice in any way shape or form... DA's office just playing along with the charade, but honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they get played too