ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses whether and when should permit television cameras in Canadian courtrooms. The California court trying Simpson admitted the television cameras. The Ontario court trying Bernardo kept the cameras out. The chapter presents the reasons why the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms does not constitutionally require courts to admit cameras into their proceedings. Attention then turns to the suggestion, periodically put forward by media advocates, that we should try an experiment with cameras in the courtroom. The chapter focuses on the overall debate over cameras in the courtroom. It explores "cameras in the courtroom" or "courtroom filming" refers to the proposed practice of news media bringing cameras into the courtroom to take still or video recordings of a judicial proceeding, in whole or in part. If cameras distract even one juror or intimidate one witness in a case, the conviction of an innocent person or the acquittal of a criminal offender may result.
