Judge in Rittenhouse trial bans MSNBC from courthouse after police stop freelancer following jury bus
Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder, presiding over the murder trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, banned MSNBC from the courthouse on Thursday. The decision comes after a freelance producer from the news network was pulled over by police for a traffic violation and was following the bus with jurors from the trial.
Video Transcript
BRUCE SCHROEDER: The media have been asking questions, there's been conversation around this morning. We had asked the media coordinator to determine possible whereabouts of certain persons, because we received a report this morning from the Kenosha Police Department that last evening-- and let me just set the background here-- the jury in this case is being transported from a different location in a bus with the windows covered so that they don't have to look at any-- aren't exposed to any signs by one side or another or interest in the case.
And so I'm going to call it a sealed bus. And that's been done every day. And then they're brought here to this building. And last evening, a person who identified himself as James J. Morrison and who claimed that he was a producer with NBC News and played for MSNBC, and under the supervision of a person-- what's going on?
- [INAUDIBLE]
BRUCE SCHROEDER: Oh, OK. Under the supervision of someone named Irene Byon in New York for MSNBC-- the police, when they stopped him because he was following at a distance of about a block and went through a red light, pulled him over, and inquired of him what was going on, and he gave that information, and stated that he had been instructed by Miss Byon in New York to follow the jury bus.
The matter is under further investigation at this point. And the media has asked questions about it. That's the latest I have. And he was ticketed for violating a traffic control signal. He's not here today, from what I'm told. And I have instructed that no one from MSNBC news will be permitted in this building for the duration of this trial.
This is a very serious matter. And I don't know what the ultimate truth of it is. But absolutely it would go without much thinking that someone who is following the jury bus, that is a very-- it's extremely serious matter and will be referred to the proper authorities for further action. Thank you.
