Marriage Equality Opponents Against Broadcast of Prop 8 Closing Arguments

In a letter to U.S. district judge Vaughn R. Walker, attorney Charles J. Cooper wrote that allowing cameras in the courtroom would violate an earlier stay order by the U.S. Supreme Court, which in January blocked broadcast of trial proceedings as part of a pilot project previously approved by a judicial council of the ninth circuit court of appeals. The high court ruled that lower courts "did not follow appropriate procedures," including giving "appropriate public notice and an opportunity to comment" before allowing webcasts of the trial. Such a high-profile case, the court's majority ruled, was not suited for a pilot program.

Cooper's letter is in response to a new request to broadcast closing arguments of Perry v. Schwarzenegger by a media coalition that includes CNN, the Associated Press, Fox News, and NBC News. The group argued in part that closing arguments "will solely consist of the arguments of counsel -- and not witness testimony or evidence."

Cooper said that counsel could still possibly include videotaped depositions of expert witnesses during their closing arguments, however.