ST. PAUL, Minn. – A committee that reports to the state Supreme Court began reviewing whether long-standing limits on video news coverage of trials should be relaxed. Chief Justice Lorie Gildea asked the panel to report back by July. Gilden wants to know what lessons were learned from televised coverage of the George Floyd murder trial that began in March. “While the decision to allow camera coverage of this trial was based on the unprecedented public health restrictions in place during the pandemic, it would be a mistake for us not to reflect on the lessons learned and experiences gained,” the chief justice said. Meanwhile, a district judge has denied media requests for video coverage of the trial of a Brooklyn Center police officer in a traffic-stop shooting death.
Trial news rules
Under Minnesota court rules, audio, video and photographic overage of criminal trials usually is barred. An exception is if all parties consent. The judge presiding over the George Floyd murder trial made an exception and allowed gavel-to-gavel electronic coverage to ensure safe public and media access amid the pandemic. There has never been a ban on note-taking reporters at Minnesota trials.