Off the record

Court reporter absent from
latest conference with judge

By David Baker
Posted Monday, March 10, 2008

The conference last week was the third since I took over the case in March of last year. But this one was different: there was no stenographer in the room to record the proceedings.

After each of the first two conferences, I obtained a copy of the transcript (the second time more than six weeks later and only after repeated calls to the court clerks' office and to the reporter herself). And each time I quoted from the transcript in a posting on this page with information that could well be considered unflattering to the defense attorneys.

But this time my account of the conference can be based only on on my brief notes and recollection.

Contacted today, a employee at the court said she was unsure who would decide whether or not a reporter would be present, but that any party could request one.

Given what happened last week, and that there were three attorneys on the other side, I will certainly be asking for a record at any future conferences in this case.

***