Before a noon recess on Tuesday, public defender Amy R. Smith asked the court to bar The Cortez Journal from using Twitter for live reports on courtroom proceedings.
A Tweet is limited to 140 total characters.
The Journal’s first Tweet, as the trial kicked off Monday morning, “70 jurors summoned to decide fate of man charged with stabbing #CortezCO police officer. Voir dire process about to start #FrenchTrial”
“Should I have (the reporter) walk out into the hallway to send (the Tweets)?” Plewe posed to defense counsel.
At the judge’s instruction, The Journal subsequently submitted a written request to send electronic communications from inside the courtroom, which Plewe granted with a stipulation not to disrupt the trial. An August 2012 court order prohibits the use of mobile phones, including laptops and tablets, by anyone except court officials. The media is also barred from taking photographs.
On Tuesday, the Journal tweeted, “Request for mistrial denied. Defense claims DA didn’t provide evidence that suspect, who has no teeth, tried to bite officers #FrenchTrial”
As the trial resumed on Wednesday, the previously utilized guest Wi-Fi account inside the Montezuma County courthouse was no longer active. Officials said the Wi-FI wasn’t available to the public.
“We can’t give out the network password,” said a court clerk.
The Journal reporter instead used a personal hot-spot device to resume live reporting from the courtroom, averaging about a dozen posts per day.
On Wednesday, the Journal tweeted, “Cop testifies suspect #tazed 7 times, including 5 times within 3 min while in handcuffs #FrenchTrial” and “Defense photo reveals stab wound was 5-6 millimeters in length, not half-inch like cop testified #FrenchTrial”
To access all courtroom updates, follow courts reporter @tcbCortez on Twitter.