By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Court Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A WOMAN was ordered to pay a $150 fine in Magistrate’s Court yesterday after she was discovered recording an officer giving testimony in her son’s trial.
Charmaine Morley was in court as Magistrate Shaka Serville presided over her son’s firearm and ammunition trial. As an officer was giving testimony as to his involvement in the matter, court officials spotted a camera light going off in court and identified Charmaine Morley as the culprit.
After being caught recording footage of the officer, Morley had her phone confiscated by the bailiff. When asked by the magistrate why she was using a phone to record footage against court regulations, Morley said she only wanted to capture a video of her son to keep after he returns on remand.
The officer caught in the footage raised concerns for his own safety if the video were leaked, as he stated that Morley was making inquiries into himself and other officers involved in the case. For this Morley apologised directly to the officer for her actions and said that she meant him no harm.
Before Magistrate Serville made a final decision on the matter, prosecutor Sergeant Deon Barr said he intended to pursue charges.
Attorney Ian Cargill, retained by Morley to represent her son, said that while he does not condone her actions the court has no legal right to keep her phone indefinitely. Mr Cargill also indicated that another man had been caught recording footage in Magistrate Samuel McKinney’s court that same day.
In view of this, Magistrate Serville ordered that the footage be deleted and that Morley pay a $150 fine for the breach in court security. While the phone will be returned to Morley, she has until Friday to settle her debts with the court.
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