Administrative Office of Courts
Media logistics for February 9 Mississippi Supreme Court oral arguments The Mississippi Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments for 9 a.m. Feb. 9 in the case of In Re: Charles Hooker, David Gatlin, Nathan Kern and Anthony McCray, Cause No. 2012-IA-0166-SCT, which involves gubernatorial pardons. Media credentials must be presented to enter the courthouse, and again to gain access to the balcony reserved for media. All spectators must go through the metal detector. A pool camera arrangement will be in place, by agreement of a majority of the media organizations which have previously done original coverage of this case. The Associated Press will be the still camera pool provider. WLBT will be the broadcast pool camera. CNN will provide a broadcast transmission feed of the court proceedings. CNN’s live truck will be parked on West Street. Transmission coordinates will be provided to all media organizations which file a timely Camera Coverage Notice. The Court will attempt to make reasonable accommodations for media organizations whose equipment is not compatible to capture the broadcast feed from CNN. However, media accepting the pool feed may not set up their own cameras in the balcony. Media must have all equipment set up and be in their places by 8:45 a.m. Feb. 9. No one will enter or leave the courtroom or the balcony after 9 a.m. There will be no coming and going while court is in session. Late arrivers may watch the proceedings on a monitor in the overflow seating area on the first floor. Any equipment installation, cable runs, site surveys and other preparations should be completed on Feb. 8, the day before the proceeding. All cables inside the building must be taped securely to the floor. There will be no exceptions. The Court has allotted an hour each for the appellants and the appellee to make their arguments. The Court will take a short break between the presentations. Courtroom doors will be open during that brief break. The balcony of the En Banc Courtroom is reserved for media and court staff. Only credentialed media and court staff will be permitted in the balcony. A Camera Coverage Notice is required in advance from any media wishing to participate in the broadcast or still photo pool, and from any media requesting a separate camera coverage accommodation. The Camera Coverage Notice requirement will not be waived. The deadline for filing a Camera Coverage Notice is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7. The Camera Coverage Notice must be filed with both the Clerk of Courts and the Supreme Court Administrator. Camera Coverage Notices may be faxed to Clerk of Courts Kathy Gillis at 601-359-2407 and Supreme Court Administrator Hubbard T. Saunders IV at 601-359-2443. The Camera Coverage Notice form is at this link: Click Here. The style of the case is In Re: Charles Hooker, David Gatlin, Nathan Kern and Anthony McCray. The cause number is 2012-IA-0166-SCT. Broadcast and still camera coverage of oral arguments will be in accordance with the Supreme Court Rules for Electronic and Photographic Coverage of Judicial Proceedings. All media representatives are expected to be familiar with and abide by these rules. A copy of the rules is available on the Rules page of the Mississippi Judiciary website at this link: Click Here. The Supreme Court streams video of the oral arguments live via the Mississippi Judiciary website, Click Here. Oral arguments are not archived for immediate retrieval via the internet. A video CD can be purchased from the Clerk of Courts for $25. CDs are not available immediately after the hearing. The Supreme Court is located in the Gartin Justice Building, 450 High Street in Jackson. The building entrance is on the northeast side, off George Street. The media logistics plan is subject to modification if changes are deemed necessary by the Court. Questions about media logistics should be directed to Public Information Officer Beverly Pettigrew Kraft at 601-576-4637 or bkraft@courts.ms.gov. #### |
