Court gag order remains
April 18, 2007
The gag order issued last week which is severely hampering journalists covering proceedings in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court continued Monday when a reporter was ordered to sit at the back of the courtroom.
Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey, in issuing the order, told the male reporter that he was a "private citizen" and so he should sit at the back.
The reporter was at the front section of the courtroom and the RM made it clear that the section was reserved for the police and officers of the court.
"I spoke to you about this last week and I will not speak to you again. This area of the court is for the police and officers of the court and lawyers.
"You are to sit at the back. You can write what you want to write because you are paid to write. But once you are in this court you are to sit at the back and the police must enforce the rule," the RM said.
Left the courtroom
The reporter then left the courtroom and the RM ordered the police to enforce the rule.
Some police commented after court had adjourned that "it seems they are clamping down on the media".
A lawyer said: "The press plays an important role in the society and therefore a press table should be provided at the front of the court room for the reporters because they need to hear what is happening in court in order to give accurate reports."
Reporters covering the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court have complained that it is very difficult to hear what the RM or the clerk of the courts is saying when they sit at the back.
It was reported last week that a court official gave directives that the only information to be given to reporters is the names of the accused, the date of the offence and the age of the accused. According to a clerk of the courts "the directives are that not even the allegation, the address or the profession of the accused must be given."
Author: Gleaner Reporter
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
