Curtis Lovelace: Illinois; (Part 6): Bulletin: Cameras in the courts; His trial could give a boost to cameras in Illinois courtrooms, WGEM reports... "Now, officials are saying the success of cameras in the courtroom could pave the way for more transparency in future trials. Chief Judge Diane Lagoski said they planned for the worst and actually got the best. The circuit approved cameras in the courtroom just before the trial. Lagoski says they planned to use the trial as a test run for how it would be in future trials. She says the careful planning prevented the camera from being a distraction and feels it also gave residents a better perspective on how the court system works. "The public generally does not know what we do in our jobs," Lagoski said. "This gave them just a sense of what goes on in our daily lives." Reporter Jeremy Culver. March 14, 2017.

STORY: "Courtroom cameras could expand into more area courtrooms," by multimedia journalist Jeremy Culver, published by WGEM on March 14, 2017.

GIST:  "The Curtis Lovelace Murder trial last week served as the first in the 8th Judicial Circuit to allow cameras in the courtroom. Now, officials are saying the success of cameras in the courtroom could pave the way for more transparency in future trials. Chief Judge Diane Lagoski said they planned for the worst and actually got the best. The circuit approved cameras in the courtroom just before the trial. Lagoski says they planned to use the trial as a test run for how it would be in future trials. She says the careful planning prevented the camera from being a distraction and feels it also gave residents a better perspective on how the court system works. "The public generally does not know what we do in our jobs," Lagoski said. "This gave them just a sense of what goes on in our daily lives." Currently, cameras are only approved in the Adams County courthouse. Lagoski plans to talk with the other circuit judges in the coming months to figure out the process of implementing it in courthouses across the circuit."
http://www.wgem.com/story/34848850/2017/03/14/courtroom-cameras-could-expand-into-more-area-courtrooms