Opening statements in Donald Trump’s hush money trial are set to commence in a New York court on Monday, marking the first time in history that prosecutors will present a criminal case against a former American president to a jury.
The prosecution will accuse Trump of orchestrating a scheme to prevent damaging stories about his personal life from becoming public.
The regulations limiting media coverage in courtrooms have a long history, dating back nearly a century. A 2022 report by the New York-based Fund for Modern Courts highlighted a pivotal moment in 1935 during the trial of the man accused of kidnapping and killing Charles Lindbergh’s baby son.
The spectacle of bright flashbulbs and camera operators standing on witness tables horrified the legal community, leading to the implementation of these restrictions.
However, the interest in open government gradually chipped away at these laws, and video cameras began to be permitted in courts across the country, albeit slowly and carefully. The decision to allow cameras often rested with the judges presiding over individual cases.
New York also allowed video cameras on an experimental basis between 1987 and 1997, but the practice was ultimately shut down.
Lobbyists representing defense lawyers remain influential in New York, particularly among lawyers in the state assembly, according to Victor Kovner, a former New York City corporation counsel who advocates for open courtrooms.
