Brody's Notes... U. S. District Court In California Orders Release Of Prop 8 Trial Tapes

Judge James Ware

By Brody Levesque | SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA -- In a sixteen page ruling released Monday, U. S. District Court Chief Judge James Ware has ordered the release of the video and audio tapes of the Proposition 8 trial.

In his ruling, Ware cited the need to preserve the integrity of the federal judiciary and stated that he saw no compelling reason keeping the tapes under seal, even as the case works its way through the appellate process with the U. S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Ware's order noted that "unless "a further stay is granted by the Court on timely motion or by a higher court," the recordings will be available to the public on Friday, September 30th.

Shannon Minter, Legal Director for the National Lesbian Rights Center in a statement said:

“Judge Ware’s ruling is a great victory for openness and transparency. Our democracy depends on the public's right to know what takes place inside our nation's federal courts, especially in cases addressing fundamental constitutional rights that affect every person. The proponents of Prop 8 should be ashamed for fighting to bar public access to this historic trial.”