Ohio Court says Judge Denied Newspaper Proper Hearing

By: The Ohio Supreme Court says a juvenile court judge made an error when he refused to let a journalist photograph an under-age defendant.

In a 6-1 decision, the high court says the Franklin County judge should have held a hearing before prohibiting The Columbus Dispatch from taking the boy's picture.

The parents had objected in the case of Elijah Mitchell, a 15-year-old accused of aggravated murder and robbery in a death last year.

The high court's majority says before denying coverage of public court proceedings, a judge must find substantial evidence that the media's presence could harm the defendant or pose a risk to fairness.