MEDIA HYPE RESULTS IN BIASED JURY CONCERNS AND BARRING OF CAMERAS FROM KOPP TRIAL

BUFFALO, June 10, 2002 (LSN.ca) – Overt media bias against the pro-life movement and specifically against James Kopp, accused of murdering abortionist Barnett Slepian, has resulted in the court forbidding media to photograph Kopp during the trial.  Moreover, concerns have also been expressed as to whether an unbiased jury can be assembled for the trial.  During a hearing before State Supreme Court Justice Eugene M. Fahey, various media outlets argued strenuously to be allowed to film Kopp in court.  However, Kopp’s lawyer argued that he did not want to see footage of Kopp, dressed in a jail-issue jumpsuit or looking scraggly, that would be aired “ad nauseam” until the trial. Addressing the media he said, “You don’t have the opportunity to do it gavel-to-gavel, so you don’t give the public the full picture.” Judge Fahey denied the media request saying, “At this stage of this proceeding, the court’s overriding concern has to be that the legal requirements for a fair trial are established.”  The media unsuccessfully appealed the decision.  Kopp’s lawyer is also requesting that the trial be moved out of town in order to avoid a biased jury. Prosecutors are already objection to such a move.  “There has been a huge amount of publicity, very one-sided, against Jim Kopp,” Cambria said. “The government has had one press conference after another, portraying him as a monster.”  See related coverage from Buffalo News:  https://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20020607/1023780.asp https://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20020607/1026871.asp https://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20020608/1035096.asp