BOTSFORD, J.
On May 2, 2011, as part of a pilot project it has named "OpenCourt," WBUR-FM, a National Public Radio station in Boston, began to broadcast live by "streaming" over the Internet video and audio recordings of certain proceedings taking place in the Quincy Division of the District Court Department (Quincy District Court). We consider here three petitions for relief under G. L. c. 211, § 3, that relate to the OpenCourt project and were reported to this court by a single justice. Each petition challenges one or more orders of a judge in the Quincy District Court concerning the broadcasts and online posting of particular proceedings in two different criminal cases. In the first case, the Commonwealth appealed from the judge's order permitting OpenCourt to "post" to its public, online archives an audio and video recording of a criminal dangerousness hearing conducted pursuant to G. L. c. 276, § 58A.
Charles Diorio brought the third petition for relief. He appeals from orders permitting the broadcasting and public online archiving of both his July 5, 2011, arraignment in the Quincy District Court, and a motion hearing held on July 25. Diorio contends that the judge abused his discretion and prejudiced Diorio's constitutional right to a fair trial by allowing the hearings to be broadcast and by not requiring the recordings to be removed from OpenCourt's online archives.
We conclude that any order restricting OpenCourt's ability to publish—by "streaming live" over the Internet, publicly archiving on the Web site or otherwise—existing audio and video recordings of court room proceedings represents a form of prior restraint on the freedoms of the press and speech protected by the First Amendment and art. 16 of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights, as amended by art. 77 of the Amendments to the Massachusetts Constitution. Such an order may be upheld only if it is the least restrictive, reasonable measure necessary to protect a compelling governmental interest.
In the Barnes case, we vacate the order of the District Court judge requiring the redaction of the name of the minor alleged victim.
1. Background. Rule 1:19 of the Rules of the Supreme Judicial Court, as amended, 430 Mass. 1329 (2000) (rule 1:19), has governed the use of cameras and other electronic recording devices in the court rooms of the Commonwealth.
OpenCourt, which was created in 2010, operates pursuant to a grant awarded by the Knight Foundation. It is intended to promote greater public access to courts through the use of digital technology. The project broadcasts or "streams live" over the
Each day, in order to record the proceedings, OpenCourt sets up a digital camera in the witness box of the first session.
While the OpenCourt project is recording a court session, an OpenCourt producer sits at a desk in the court room's witness box, to the right of the camera. No other members of the media or the public sit in the witness box. Currently, the OpenCourt producer is responsible for turning off the audio and video "feeds" for the broadcast when the judge directs that a particular matter should not be recorded. OpenCourt's goal is to enable the judge presiding over each session to turn on or off the audio and video feeds by pressing a button on a computer installed on the bench.
OpenCourt uses the court room's existing microphones to obtain the audio feed for its live streaming. WBUR-FM paid for the cost of installing and connecting an additional audio cable to the court room's recording "mixer" so that OpenCourt could receive the audio feed from those microphones. Every sound that is broadcast through OpenCourt's audio feed is also a part of the official court record, as both systems use the same audio feed. Prior to the launch of the OpenCourt live stream in May, 2011, OpenCourt held training sessions for court employees, defense attorneys, and prosecutors to demonstrate the sensitivity
In accordance with the limitations set out in rule 1:19 and after consultation with its advisory board
After a proceeding or hearing in the first session is "live streamed," OpenCourt delays for two business days before posting the archived recording to its Web site. The delay allows OpenCourt time to redact any portion of the recording that it deems inappropriate, such as "the `blurting' of a minor victim's name."
2. Discussion. Central to the resolution of these cases are the freedoms of speech and press guaranteed by the First Amendment and the cognate provisions of art. 16. This court has long recognized:
Republican Co. v. Appeals Court, 442 Mass. 218, 222 (2004), quoting Cowley v. Pulsifer, 137 Mass. 392, 394 (1884) (Holmes, J.), and citing Press Enterprise Co. v. Superior Court, 464 U.S. 501, 508 509 (1984) ("openness enhances appearance of fairness essential to public confidence in criminal justice system"). See Globe Newspaper Co. v. Superior Court, 457 U.S. 596, 604-605 (1982) (one purpose of First Amendment right of press access to criminal trials is to ensure effective participation of citizens in self-government and informed discussion of governmental affairs).
The First Amendment entitles the press and public to be present at criminal trials and preliminary hearings, in most circumstances, and to report their observations of what occurred in the court room. See Press-Enterprise Co. v. Superior Court, 478 U.S. 1, 13 (1986) (preliminary hearings); Richmond Newspapers, Inc. v. Virginia, 448 U.S. 555, 580 (1980) (trials). Court rooms may be closed only when the closure is necessary to serve "a compelling governmental interest" and "narrowly
Although the public has the right to be physically present in a court room, there is no constitutional right to bring cameras into or to make audio or video recordings of court room proceedings. Nixon v. Warner Communications, Inc., 435 U.S. 589, 610 (1978). However, if a court chooses in its discretion to allow recording, the person or entity making it has the same First Amendment freedom to disseminate the information it records as any other member of the print media or public, and the court is limited by the prior restraint doctrine in its ability to restrain the publication of the recording.
We first consider whether the constitutional doctrine of prior restraint applies to court orders restricting the dissemination of OpenCourt's recordings. Because we conclude that it does, we then address whether a prior restraint can be constitutionally justified in either the Barnes or Diorio case.
a. Prior restraint doctrine. "The term `prior restraint' is used `to describe administrative and judicial orders forbidding certain communications when issued in advance of the time that such communications are to occur.'" Alexander v. United States, 509 U.S. 544, 550 (1993), quoting M. Nimmer, Nimmer on Freedom of Speech § 4.03, at 4 14 (1984). "Temporary restraining orders and permanent injunctions—i.e., court orders that actually forbid speech activities—are classic examples of prior restraints." Alexander v. United States, supra.
From the beginning, the liberty of the press guaranteed by the First Amendment and art. 16 was understood as primarily a guarantee of freedom from prior restraints, such as the licensing system employed by the British government in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries to prevent the publication of material it deemed unsuitable. See A. Lewis, Freedom for the Thought
The Commonwealth argues that we need not apply prior restraint analysis to the OpenCourt project because OpenCourt was only able to make the challenged recordings of court proceedings through the permission and cooperation of the Quincy District Court.
The Quincy District Court's cooperation with OpenCourt is not extensive enough to permit us to draw the conclusions urged by the Commonwealth and Diorio. OpenCourt is a project of WBUR-FM, a private entity. OpenCourt and WBUR-FM employ their own production staff and OpenCourt retains the recordings it makes on its own Web site, rather than a court Web site. WBUR-FM paid for the camera and audio cable OpenCourt needed to secure its video and audio feeds; the Quincy District Court did not. Although the Commonwealth and Diorio both allege that OpenCourt enjoys exclusive access to court proceedings, OpenCourt only records hearings that are open to the public and other media organizations. To the extent that OpenCourt is operating in a manner different from any other media organization, OpenCourt states that it is the only news medium that has requested permission to broadcast live by streaming video recording. Moreover, OpenCourt's unique methods derive from its status as a pilot project rather than from an exclusive arrangement with the court. We understand that OpenCourt's recording of court room proceedings on a daily basis permits a new and different application of our rule and policy generally authorizing cameras in and electronic access to Massachusetts court rooms. See rule 1:19.
We turn to whether the Commonwealth and Diorio have met their burden of demonstrating that such findings can be made in the two cases at issue.
(i) Application to Barnes. Norman Barnes is alleged to have kidnapped a fifteen year old girl (minor) and enticed her into prostitution. See note 1, supra. The dangerousness hearing at issue in the case was held on May 27, 2011.
The Commonwealth moved to turn off OpenCourt's camera
The Commonwealth challenges, as an abuse of discretion, the judge's decision permitting OpenCourt to post the recording on its Web site. The Commonwealth's argument is that the posting and subsequent archiving violated the minor's right to privacy and jeopardized her safety,
The judge's decisions to permit the recording of a G. L. c. 276, § 58A, dangerousness hearing involving a fifteen year old alleged victim of sexual assault, and to permit recording to continue after defense counsel had stated the minor's name, were probably unwise. Given the nature of the crimes charged in the Barnes case of kidnapping and enticing a child under sixteen years, and the recognized sensitivities of adolescents to invasions of privacy, cf. Safford United Sch. Dist. No. 1 v. Redding, 129 S.Ct. 2633, 2641 (2009) (discussing "adolescent vulnerability" in relation to invasion of privacy during school strip search), there was at least a reasonable likelihood that the recording and public archiving
The United States Supreme Court has held that "safeguarding the physical and psychological well-being of a minor" may be a compelling interest, but a determination of the measures necessary to protect that interest must occur on a case-by-case basis, considering factors such as the "minor victim's age, psychological maturity and understanding, the nature of the crime, the desires of the victim, and the interests of parents and relatives." Globe Newspaper Co. v. Superior Court, 457 U.S. at 607-608. Cf. Commonwealth v. Weston W., 455 Mass. 24, 34 (2009), quoting Blixt v. Blixt, 437 Mass. 649, 656 (2002), cert. denied, 537 U.S. 1189 (2003) (in context of strict scrutiny analysis, government has compelling interest in "protect[ing] children from actual or potential harm"). Although the Commonwealth argued to the judge that psychological or physical harm could result from broad publicity about the charges and the minor's connection to them, it did not provide affidavits or other evidence that would enable the judge to verify these contentions in this specific case, nor did the Commonwealth present evidence relating to this particular minor's psychological state, her particular interests, or the extent to which she or her family has sought privacy.
Furthermore, the Commonwealth has failed to show that forbidding OpenCourt to post the archived recording on its Web site is the least restrictive reasonable alternative available. See Prescott, 428 Mass. at 311. See also Carroll v. President & Comm'rs of Princess Anne, 393 U.S. 175, 183 (1968) ("An order issued in the area of First Amendment rights must be couched in the narrowest terms that will accomplish the pin-pointed objective permitted
We also conclude, as OpenCourt urges, that the judge's June 16 order requiring the redaction of the minor's name from the recording of the hearing is an unconstitutional prior restraint, because it lacks "detailed findings of fact" that are necessary to "demonstrate that no reasonable, less restrictive alternative to the order" would protect the minor's privacy interests. See Prescott, 428 Mass. at 311. The judge stated: "The court believes that redacting the minor's name from the video and audio archives balances the public interest with the victim's right to protect her privacy and is less restrictive of First Amendment concerns." As indicated, while the Commonwealth presented its argument that the minor would suffer harm from the disclosure of her name, it did not submit affidavits or other evidence substantiating its claims. Nor did the judge hold a hearing or make any further factual findings as to whether the Commonwealth's assertions were true. Based on this record, we conclude that the order cannot stand.
(ii) Application to Diorio. On July 5, 2011, Charles Diorio
Diorio argues that the judge abused his discretion by permitting the recording and archiving of the two hearings, and presses his point that the judge's ruling harmed his rights to a fair trial and effective assistance of counsel. If potential witnesses or jurors in the pending Suffolk County case against Diorio were to watch the archived July 5 arraignment, they could see Diorio shackled in the prisoner's dock while the clerk read the charges against him; in Diorio's view, the availability of this image on the Web site creates a substantial likelihood of harm to his fair trial rights because it could prejudice viewers to believe that he had committed the charged Suffolk County crimes. He claims also that permitting OpenCourt to use the court room microphones for its audio feed during the July 5 arraignment violated his right to effective assistance of counsel, because the microphones can pick up court room whispers, preventing him from speaking confidentially with his attorney during the proceeding. Permitting recording prejudiced Diorio's right to assistance of counsel on July 25 as well, he contends, because he was forced to choose between remaining in the lockup during that hearing or attending the hearing and being filmed.
The judge did not abuse his discretion. We agree with the judge that there was no substantial likelihood of harm to Diorio's fair trial right, because the case against Diorio in which identification was at issue took place in another county, and
Nor did recording the hearing pose a substantial likelihood of harm to Diorio's right to counsel. Because the OpenCourt project uses the same microphones as those used by the court system to make the official court recording, anything a defendant says to his attorney that is picked up by OpenCourt is also captured on the official court recording. The defendants and their counsel must take exactly the same precautions to ensure that their conversations are not recorded as they would if OpenCourt were not present in the court room.
Diorio also contends that this court may order OpenCourt to redact his image from its online archive. Such a prior restraint is justified, he asserts, because redaction is the least restrictive reasonable method to protect his right to a fair trial. Because Diorio did not move in the District Court for redaction of his image,
As the Commonwealth points out, when one of our courts establishes or permits a pilot project relating to an area of its work, it is generally the case that a set of guidelines or rules are issued to govern the pilot's operation. In the present case, particularly in light of the fact that the OpenCourt project differs from the traditional media approach to the use of cameras in the court room under rule 1:19, we think it appropriate and in the spirit of that rule for a set of guidelines to be prepared and submitted to this court for review and approval. We therefore refer the task to the Supreme Judicial Court's judiciary-media committee. While the contents of the guidelines are for that committee to develop, issues that might be considered include
We will not require OpenCourt to suspend its operations pending the preparation, submission, and approval of these project guidelines. We expect, however, that in the interim, OpenCourt, like all news media organizations, will work with the court system, prosecutors' offices, and the defense bar to safeguard the rights of criminal defendants as well as those of witnesses and alleged victims of crime. "The extraordinary protections afforded by the First Amendment carry with them something in the nature of a fiduciary duty to exercise the protected rights responsibly. . . . It is not asking too much to suggest that those who exercise First Amendment rights in newspapers or broadcasting enterprises direct some effort to protect the rights of an accused to a fair trial by unbiased jurors." Nebraska Press Ass'n v. Stuart, 427 U.S. at 560.
3. Conclusion. We remand these matters to the single justice to issue an order denying the Commonwealth's petition in S.J.C.
So ordered.
In addition, because OpenCourt has indicated that the project may be interested in recording protective order hearings under G. L. c. 209A in the future, we suggest that our judiciary-media committee consider whether it is appropriate to permit unrestricted recording, broadcasting, and posting of these hearings.