Commentary: Cameras in the courtroom: fairness and equality will follow. “there”'s none so blind as they that won”'t see.”

BY CRAIG SEIFERT

The Yanez verdict demonstrates the need for cameras in the courtroom. Centuries of courtroom secrecy must end, cameras are the vehicle to bring about the needed and necessary changes in criminal, civil and family courts, and would have an immediate effect on equality and the fair administration of justice for all. Besides that, the cameras allow the voters the ability to observe and evaluate the past performance, judicial temperament and other factors for a judge seeking county-wide re-election. Courtroom cameras would enable voters to observe judges and evaluate an incumbent judge up for re-election and make a knowingly and intelligent choice when casting their vote based upon the past performance of the judge.

Judges”' are supposed to be neutral, like a referee in a hockey game, however, a skilled judge while giving the appearance of fairness, can subtly steer the outcome and verdict of a case unjustly.

For instance, Judge Leary”'s withholding the prosecutions most crucial piece of evidence (BCA-video) from the jury subtly steered the juries”' outcome. First, the contemporaneous BCA-video captured Yanez immediately following the shooting and death. Without the BCA-video the jury was deprived of Yanez”'s conflicting statements, but more important, deprived them from observing Yanez immediately in-the-moment and his answers to BCA questions and the observation of Yanez”'s body language and demeanor to discern Yanez”'s veracity.… Read the rest “Commentary: Cameras in the courtroom: fairness and equality will follow. “there”'s none so blind as they that won”'t see.””