Judge Cockrum incorrect about first media request in Marci Kitchen case; is he playing favorites?

By only allowing one still camera and one video camera in the courtroom, Judge Kaleb Cockrum is playing favorites. If he is going to limit it to two media outlets, the photos and video should be ordered to be made available to all media covering the case.

Judge Cockrum could also order court staff to take still photos and video. That materisl could be fairly distributed from a neutral source to all media. It would also address the security concerns and not being disruptive to court proceedings.

It would achieve the same effect and satisfy the reasons why he granted selective media coverage today.

Dan Squier was not even at today's hearing. The only reporters were LOCO's Rhonda Parker and myself in the courtroom this morning. Dan Squier has not covered this case since the beginning, let alone every hearing. Judge Cockrum, either treat all media the same and give equal access or deny all media. Selectively choosing two is playing favorites.

While Judge Cockrum is correct that Dan Squier was the first to submit a media request for sentencing, Times Standard was not the first to submit a media request.

Usually, if one media request is denied, all media requests are denied. I did not submit a media request for sentencing for this reason.

At the time I submitted my media request, the change of venue had not been heard and I accepted the reasons provided by Judge Cockrum for denying the request. Sentencing had not been scheduled.

Now those same reasons do not apply and he is used the opposite argument to grant media coverage?

At this stage, saying  "it is important to maintain public trust",  one of the reasons stated by Judge Cockrum today for media coverage, is a joke.

While he has not been  the Judge on this case, the public's faith and trust in the Humboldt Superior Court system was lost from the beginning with the way Marci Kitchen has been treated. Most recent example was not remanding her into custody on August 20 after she pleaded guilty to all charges.

Previous post:
https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2018/09/marci-kitchen-brought-into-courtroom.html?m=1