TV Cameras in Courtroom and Pretrial Publicity to Be Discussed at Upcoming Presentation

Columbia, Mo. (Nov. 11, 2004) -- The topics of television cameras in the courtroom and prejudicial pretrial publicity will be among those discussed at an upcoming presentation at the University of Missouri.

"The News Media and the Terry Nichols Trial" will be presented from 9:45-10:30 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 18, in Fisher Auditorium at the Missouri School of Journalism. The event is sponsored by the Journalism, Conflict and Law Initiative.

Rodney J. Uphoff Law School Bio

The speaker will be Rodney J. Uphoff, the associate dean of academic affairs at the MU School of Law and one of the attorneys who represented Nichols in the Oklahoma state court. Nichols was convicted of 160 murders based on the bombing of the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City in April 1995, but did not receive the death penalty. In addition to teaching, Uphoff has worked as a public defender and in private practice. He has written numerous articles on criminal defense practice, the delivery of indigent defense services and ethical issues facing those involved in the criminal justice system.

"Far too many journalists are not as knowledgeable about legal and court issues as they need to be when covering a criminal case accurately and compellingly," said Esther Thorson, associate dean of graduate studies and research at the journalism school. "The goal is to help young reporters better understand the issues and demands in covering legal cases of any magnitude."

The public is invited to attend.