Judicial Watch Challenges Calif. Superior Court Ban Of Documentary Movie

WASHINGTON, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- 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 before April 27, 2012.

What is the Full Disclosure Network? 
http://fulldisclosure.net/Documents/OnePagerForReleases7-19-10.pdf

Contact:  Leslie Dutton  Full Disclosure Network   310-822-4449  www.fulldisclosure.net

SOURCE Full Disclosure Network