Sterling E. Norris
Judicial Watch Attorney
Washington, D.C. Judicial Watch, Inc. is asking the U. S.
California Central District Court to intervene on behalf of the American
Association of Women, AAW v.
Presiding Judge Lee Smalley Edmon (CV-12-1888) , challenging the L A
Superior Court’s denial of public access to an empty court room for filming
documentary movie. Read Court filing here: URL: http://fulldisclosure.net/Documents/USDCAAW-SuperiorCourt3-6-12.pdf
Court Denies Access To Documentary Project
AAW is producing a Full Disclosure Network® documentary
movie about the 18-month “coercive confinement” of former U S Attorney Richard I. Fine by L A Superior Court Judge
David Yaffe of Dept. 86 in the
downtown civil court house. The AAW had
requested use of Dept. 86 to video record, a re-enacted account, from court transcripts,
of the sentencing hearing where Richard Fine was taken into custody.
Several Attempts Rejected
AAW attempted several times to reserve
the empty court room that is public property. The final effort was made
to Presiding Judge Lee Smalley Edmon
who, through counsel, denied access As related in the letters requesting
use of Dept. 86 for no more than 30 minutes when it was not in use, was the
fact that CNN had used Dept. 86 for their piece on the Richard Fine case. Judicial Watch believes that the
public property of the court is used by various groups, including school
classes and that AAW’s request was reasonable and should have been granted.
The Superior Court Legal Counsel is
expected to file a response on behalf of the Presiding Judge Edmon or before
April 27, 2012.
Contact: Leslie Dutton
Full Disclosure Network
310-822-4449 www.fulldisclosure.net
