R. v. Pickton

R. v. Pickton

The application was dismissed because providing complete transcripts to the media before the jury hears the evidence would be an unprecedented modification of trial procedure; existing measures supplying transcripts of material already heard adequately protect accuracy, and media convenience does not justify altering the format or fairness of a criminal jury trial.

Citation
2007 BCSC 2023
Parties
Crown: Regina; Accused: Robert William Pickton; Applicant (media): Toronto Star
Court
Supreme Court of British Columbia
Jurisdiction
Canada
Judgment Date
24 January 2007
Procedural Posture
Criminal Trial / Application for Media Access to Transcripts During Jury Trial
Outcome
Application dismissed
Legal Topics
Media Access to Court Transcripts, Accuracy of Reporting, Trial Fairness, Publication Restrictions
Source Language
English
Criminal Law Media Law Publication Bans Jury Procedure Media Access to Court Transcripts Accuracy of Reporting Trial Fairness Publication Restrictions

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Parties

Regina

Crown

Robert William Pickton

Accused

Toronto Star

Applicant (media)

Procedural Posture

Criminal Trial / Application for Media Access to Transcripts During Jury Trial

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether the media are entitled to receive full transcripts of taped evidence before that evidence is adduced to the jury
  2. 2 How to balance accurate and timely reporting by the media against the format and fairness of a criminal jury trial and existing publication restrictions

Ratio Decidendi

The application was dismissed because providing complete transcripts to the media before the jury hears the evidence would be an unprecedented modification of trial procedure; existing measures supplying transcripts of material already heard adequately protect accuracy, and media convenience does not justify altering the format or fairness of a criminal jury trial.

Court Disposition

Application dismissed

Orders

  • The measures already in place to provide transcripts of material after it has been heard by the jury to the media workroom shall continue
  • No order directing that complete transcripts be placed in the media room upon commencement of playing of recordings before the jury is made