Monday, October 23, 2006

Courtroom Blogging

I'm blogging from the overflow room in the federal courthouse. We're waiting for the sentencing hearing for Enron CEO Jeff Skilling to begin. This is one of those days that, as a reporter, I hate and love at the same time. The first part of the day is "hurry up and wait." Here is what I have done so far:
-Rush to the courthouse. -Check in with the marshalls and turn over all recording equipment. -Set up computer in the overflow room. -Read up on background for the story. -Wait for a long time. -Keep waiting. Hearing starts at 1pm...no telling when it will wrap up, probably around 3pm. So lots of waiting.
Here is what my afternoon will probably look like:
As soon as the sentence is handed down: pack up computer and rush downstairs. -Retrieve recording equipment from marshalls. -Run outside and set up recording equipment. -Wait for Skilling and attorneys to come down and make a statement. -While listening to Skilling's statement, realize that prosecuting attorneys are sneaking out the other door and are getting away. -Grab recorder off mike stand and rush after them. Tackle one to the ground and force her to give me a comment. -Triumphantly head back to the mike stand just in time to hear Skilling say "no more questions." -Frantically write a report to go on air. -Call in live report and stumble over several words. -Drive back to the station and do phone interviews with "experts." -Write new version of report for the morning news. -Go home and go to bed.

4 comments:

Jeanine said...

Sounds like a fun and exciting day!

Anonymous said...

why don't you just leave said recording equipment in the car until you can use it? then you could beat the rush/line at the marshals' office because everyone else will be standing in line to retrieve their equipment! ...you on the other hand...will have cleverly averted the equipment baggage claim line!!

Laurie said...

Dear Anonymous,
It would take much longer to walk back to my car and retrieve my recording equipment than it does to go downstairs and reclaim it from the marshalls. There isn't a parking lot at the downtown courthouse, so you have to park in the theatre district parking garage. But otherwise, yours would be a brilliant plan.

Shanna said...

I love lawyers.