You know that the Government might have gone too far when they receive
a lecture from some newspaper in *** Mississipi*** on the importance
of protecting the civil rights of a defendant.



http://www.sunherald.com/mld/thesunh...al/6297935.htm

Posted on Mon, Jul. 14, 2003

OTHER VOICES:

Chief U.S. District Judge Ginny Granade should make every effort to
avoid closing her courtroom during the upcoming trial of a doctor
charged with crossing state lines to have sex with a 15-year-old girl
in Mobile.

Judge Granade has signed an order, at the request of federal
prosecutors, that could close the trial to the public during testimony
"in which there is reason to anticipate that the name of the child
victim or any other information concerning the child victim may be
divulged."

Dr. Alex Sherzer, 32, is alleged to have used the Internet to set up a
rendezvous for a weekend of sex, so discussion about the child can
hardly be avoided. But, while a federal law may permit conducting part
or most of the trial in secret, there are other ways to conduct the
proceedings that preserve:

• The right of the defendant to a fair trial.

.. The right of public access to court proceedings.

• And the privacy right of the alleged victim.

Dr. Sherzer is a world-class chess player who had been living in
Baltimore. Court records allege that he corresponded with the girl via
e-mail until her mother found computer printouts of the conversations
and notified law enforcement authorities. They used e-mail to pose as
the child and set up a rendezvous in Mobile, where he was arrested.

Open access to criminal court proceedings not only allows citizens to
monitor how justice is being administered by their federal, state and
local governments, but it protects defendants - who are presumed
innocent until proven guilty in court - by ensuring fair and impartial
treatment within the system. Secret court proceedings mean no one can
know the evidence against a person accused of a crime or whether the
judge, prosecutor or defense attorney acted in accordance with the
law.

[....blah, blah, blah]

(Isidor Gunsberg) wrote in message . com...
You know that the Government might have gone too far when they receive
a lecture from some newspaper in *** Mississipi*** on the importance
of protecting the civil rights of a defendant.

Every newspaper in the country, regardless of location, shares this
opinion. It has nothing to do with the government's actions in this
particular case.

Newspapers are in the business of reporting news. That is hard to do
when they are denied access to the proceedings. While they may couch
their issue in terms of protecting the rights of the defendent, don't
for a second think that they do not also have their own economic
self-interest in mind.

Randy Bauer



http://www.sunherald.com/mld/thesunh...al/6297935.htm

Posted on Mon, Jul. 14, 2003

OTHER VOICES:

Chief U.S. District Judge Ginny Granade should make every effort to
avoid closing her courtroom during the upcoming trial of a doctor
charged with crossing state lines to have sex with a 15-year-old girl
in Mobile.

Judge Granade has signed an order, at the request of federal
prosecutors, that could close the trial to the public during testimony
"in which there is reason to anticipate that the name of the child
victim or any other information concerning the child victim may be
divulged."

Dr. Alex Sherzer, 32, is alleged to have used the Internet to set up a
rendezvous for a weekend of sex, so discussion about the child can
hardly be avoided. But, while a federal law may permit conducting part
or most of the trial in secret, there are other ways to conduct the
proceedings that preserve:

? The right of the defendant to a fair trial.

. The right of public access to court proceedings.

? And the privacy right of the alleged victim.

Dr. Sherzer is a world-class chess player who had been living in
Baltimore. Court records allege that he corresponded with the girl via
e-mail until her mother found computer printouts of the conversations
and notified law enforcement authorities. They used e-mail to pose as
the child and set up a rendezvous in Mobile, where he was arrested.

Open access to criminal court proceedings not only allows citizens to
monitor how justice is being administered by their federal, state and
local governments, but it protects defendants - who are presumed
innocent until proven guilty in court - by ensuring fair and impartial
treatment within the system. Secret court proceedings mean no one can
know the evidence against a person accused of a crime or whether the
judge, prosecutor or defense attorney acted in accordance with the
law.

[....blah, blah, blah]