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Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Judge’s actions under review
District Court Judge Edgar Barnes opened the door to criticism when he closed his courtroom during the Dec. 5 trial of six war protesters accused of trespassing on Blackwater Worldwide property. Barnes’ action quickly got the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union, which has filed a complaint with the North Carolina Judicial Commission. The complaint claims that by closing his courtroom, Barnes violated the defendants’ Constitutional rights to an open and public trial. Do you think Barnes should be disciplined for this? Why or why not?
