News Media in Missouri Courtrooms
News media in the courtroom: one of the debates that has surrounded our legal system for many years. The laws surrounding news media and cameras within the courtroom have always been complicated and difficult to understand. The Law Offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter & Welch, P.C. want to provide you some background and history about news media in the courtroom. Information was gathered from www.courts.mo.gov and www.uscourts.gov . Background Gaining permission to televise, record, broadcast, or photograph courtroom proceedings has always been difficult, but it became especially challenging after the Dr. Sam Sheppard trial in the 1950s. In this high profile murder trial (the television series and movie The Fugitive was based on this case), the media grossly exaggerated their coverage and displayed blatant biases in their work. After this case, many courts including, Missouri state courts, firmly closed their doors to the media. Media History of the Federal