Trump’s lawyers argue against cameras in courtroom: Would create ‘circus-like atmosphere’

Lawyers for former President Trump are urging the judge in his Manhattan criminal case to not allow cameras inside the courtroom on Tuesday, when he is expected to appear before the court for arraignment after being indicted by a New York grand jury last week.

Trump’s team is arguing that the cameras would cause a “circus-like atmosphere at the arraignment, raise unique security concerns, and is inconsistent with President Trump’s presumption of innocence,” in a letter to Judge Juan Merchan on Monday, according to CNBC. Merchan is set to decide today whether cameras will be allowed in the courtroom tomorrow. 

New York is one of the only jurisdictions in the U.S. that still bars the use of cameras in the courtroom. But a group of media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal, have urged Merchan to allow cameras into the room when Trump is arraigned. Merchan has discretion over whether to include the cameras.

“The gravity of this proceeding – the unprecedented and historic arraignment of a former U.S. President – and, consequently, the need for the broadest possible public access, cannot be overstated,” the outlets said in their letter to the judge this week.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which is prosecuting Trump in the case, did not take a side on the issue of whether cameras should be allowed in the courtroom, in a letter to the judge Monday.

The media organizations have also asked for the judge to unseal the indictment of Trump, which has remained private since the move was announced. If Merchan does not grant the request, the indictment is expected to remain sealed until Trump appears in court on Tuesday.

Trump was indicted last week in the case related to hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election. The charges are still unknown.