Court Opinion

ID: 9706565
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 01:46:33.461103+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:23.652724
License: Public Domain

FLAHERTY, Justice,
dissenting.
I dissent. Members of the general public were excluded from the courtroom during the voir dire phase of appellees’ trial, though representatives of the news media were permitted access. In Commonwealth v. Contakos, 499 Pa. 340, 453 A.2d 578 (1982), this Court clearly held that, under *140applicable provisipns of the Pennsylvania Constitution, it is improper to exclude the public from a segment of a criminal trial. As indicated in Contakos, the mere fact that the news media were present does not mitigate the infringement of the public’s right of access: “The public and representatives of the press alike enjoy the constitutional right in Pennsylvania to attend trials. Neither may be excluded because the other is present.” 499 Pa. at 348, 453 A.2d at 582. Appellees’ rights to a public trial have been violated, and a new trial should be granted.