Testimony will begin before Superior Court Judge Edward R. Karazin Jr. on Tuesday, April 17, 2007, in the case of Michael Skakel vs. State of Connecticut. The case is expected to go from April 17 through April 20, and April 23 through April 26, if necessary. Unless otherwise noted by the Court, testimony on any given day will begin at 10 a.m.; the courthouse doors open at 9 a.m.

The case will be heard in Courtroom 6-A, in the Stamford Judicial District Courthouse, located at 123 Hoyt St., Stamford. There is a parking garage with spaces for the public onsite; the garage will remain open until 7 p.m. during the trial.

The first two rows on either side of the courtroom will be reserved for the families of Mr. Skakel and Martha Moxley. All other seats in the courtroom will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis to members of the public and news media. No interviews may be conducted in the courtroom.

Four spots in front of the courthouse are reserved for the following Connecticut television stations: WFSB-TV; News 12 Connecticut; WVIT; and WTNH. Other TV stations wishing to send satellite trucks should report to Stamford High School at 6:30 a.m. April 17th. The high school’s address is 55 Strawberry Hill Ave., but trucks should park in the rear of the school, in the Hillandale Avenue lot. In conjunction with the Connecticut Judicial Branch and on a first-come, first-serve basis, the Stamford Police Department then will escort the trucks to the courthouse area for parking. This arrangement will remain in effect throughout the duration of the trial. Compliance is critical, as order and safety must be maintained by the Judicial Branch and the Stamford Police in the congested area surrounding the courthouse.

The media contact for Stamford Police is Lt. Sean Cooney. He may be reached at 203-977-4725.

Judge Karazin granted a request from the Associated Press to have one still camera and one video camera in the courtroom. Inquiries regarding the pool may be made to Patrick Sanders, Connecticut editor of the Associated Press, at 860-246-6876 (office) or 860-416-0465 (cell); or Dave Ward, WFSB-TV assignment manager, at 860-244-1700 (office) or 860-977-0839 (cell).

News 12 and WFSB will provide the pool feed of the courtroom proceedings. News 12 is providing the camera and photographer inside the courtroom, while WFSB will provide the transmission and distribution of the pool feed. Satellite feed of court proceedings for the first week are as follows:

• April 17-20, from 9:30 a.m. through 5:30 p.m.
• CBS/Newspath Coordinates – AMC 5 5 F
• Downlink Frequency – 11855 V
• Data Rate – 5.5
• Symbol Rate – 03.978723
• FEC 3/4

In addition, a distribution amp (mult-box) will be at WFSB’s truck in front of the courthouse. Stations interested in taking the feed on-site should come prepared with a record-deck and proper cables. Individual stations are responsible for all tape deck operations. No tape copies will be made.

No other cameras will be allowed into the courthouse beyond the pool cameras. In addition, no recording equipment will be allowed inside the courthouse. Cell phones with cameras will not be allowed in the courthouse, and judicial marshals will collect them at the door, to be returned when the owner leaves. Cell phones without cameras are allowed inside the courthouse and must be muted in 6-A, when the court is in session. Laptops also are allowed in the courtroom, although laptops with recording devices will not be allowed into the courthouse.

A designated media area will be set up outside the courthouse for interviews. This area serves two purposes:

1. It is essential to maintain order on court property and to avoid unsafe traffic conditions. Many other members of the public will be in the area for unrelated court business, and the Judicial Branch’s top priority is to provide safe access for all individuals at court on any given day; and
2. The media have a central area to conduct interviews and take pictures and video from, in a way that provides equal access to all media outlets.

The Judicial Branch reserves the right to modify its arrangements for the trial.

For further information, please contact the Judicial Branch External Affairs Division at 860-757-2270.