Selena judge rethinks cameras in the courtroom

By Associated Press

CORPUS CHRISTI (AP) - Cameras might not have disrupted the trial of the woman convicted of killing Tejano star Selena, the judge in the case has told a citizens' group.

"In retrospect, it might have been OK to have TV cameras there," State District Judge Mike Westergren said. "I'm not saying I didn't make the right decision. But in this case, we had very excellent lawyers who conducted themselves honorably."

Westergren spoke to a citizens' public affairs club called the Friday Morning Group in Corpus Christi, where Yolanda Saldivar admitted shooting Selena in a motel room on March 31, 1995.
Saldivar, who said the singer's fatal shooting wasn't intentional, has appealed her conviction and life sentence.

The 35-year-old founder of Selena's fan club must serve at least 30 years before becoming eligible for parole.

Westergren didn't specifically mention the theatrics of the O.J. Simpson case, but he alluded in general to some attorneys' propensity toward seeking attention from cameras.

"Unfortunately, it's the high-profile cases that usually bring out the worst in the system because of the pressure and the stress," he said.

Many legal experts have said the Simpson trial could have been the deathblow for live court coverage. Westergren said he had no problems with the publicity of his trial, but he wasn't convinced the trial needed to be televised.

Prosecutors and defense lawyers alike opposed cameras in the courtroom. The judge said cameras have their place.

"Overall, I think there will come a time when it won't be a problem," he said. "I think the public has the right to know what is going on in the courtroom."

Westergren admitted initial surprise at the national attention the case generated. "I have never been exposed to such a media event, and I hope I never am again," he said.