University of Virginia Library

Judge Seizes Trial Pictures

A touch of excitement was added to
yesterday's perjury trial of Tom Doran
when, after the jury retired to its
chambers to decide the case, a Cavalier
Daily photographer was taken into
custody by the Judge and several county
policemen for taking pictures inside the
courthouse.

The photographer had just taken a
picture of Judge George Coles, who was
standing in the corridor outside the court
room, when the Judge yelled at him to
stop. Despite The Cavalier Daily's
contention that pictures could be taken
in the lobby, Judge Coles said that he was
ruling that no pictures could be taken
inside at all.

The photographer was then taken behind a
door by the officers and the Judge who
confiscated his film and destroyed it. They
warned the photographer that he was lucky the
Judge did not fine him for taking the pictures.

The validity of the Judge's ruling is
uncertain. University law professors and a
Charlottesville attorney all said that they
thought pictures could be taken in a courthouse
as long as they were not taken inside the
courtroom itself.

They were not sure whether a judge could
make his own ruling about the matter, but they
did admit that the judge could hold someone
who disregarded his order in contempt of court.