N.B.C. Newsman Labels Courts 'Sad Segments' of U.S. Society

Gabe Pressman, a reporter for the National Broadcasting Company, called the American court system "one of the saddest segments of our society," last night at the Law School Forum in Sanders Theatre.

Pressman said that "our courts are in desperate need of major improvements," and that complete coverage of court proceedings by the press offered the best method to publicize this need.

Jacob J. Spiegel, associate justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court, agreed with Pressman that it is the duty of each and every citizen" to work for "equal justice for all," but he felt the public should observe court proceedings in the courtroom rather than in the newspapers or on television.

Spiegel said that there "cannot be a fair trial unless the news media are prevented from publishing prejudicial material."

James Vorenberg '49, professor of Law, said that reviews in the press of an alleged crime, arrest, or background of a defendant can often "poison the minds of prospective jurors," making a fair trial impossible.

He also felt that police, lawyers, and udges were guilty of releasing too much information to the press. However, since "the media will not police themselves," he called for self-censorship by law officers. In addition, he proposed that some "sanctions against the media be instituted."

British Law

British Commonwealth law, which prohibits publication of relevant information between the time of arrest and sentencing was discussed by Zeiman Cowen, Dean of the Faculty of Laws at Melbourne University in Australia.

He said the press can be held in "criminal contempt" if this law is violated and cited the instance when one newspaper described an accused murderer as a human vampire who drank the blood of his victims." He called television coverage of Lee Harvey Oawald dreadful.

Wilbur G. Holliugsworth, chairman of the Massachusetts Defenders Committee, said that he had won a number of retrial motions on the grounds that the defendant's rights had been violated by prejudicial coverage by the press. He did believe, however that most "harmful publicity" occurred only in "sensational" trials "like the Oawald case."

Preasman said that "defendant's rights trainpied on by a cold, inefficient bureaucracy" was a fag more common and serious occurrence than the prejudicing of trials by complete press coverage.