The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled that the press and public have a First Amendment right to attend the sentencing of a criminal defendant. The court also said that there must be public notice and a chance for the public to comment before the sentencing.
The court noted that there was a long history of opening sentencing including high-profile cases and said that there were significant benefits such as increasing public confidence in the criminal justice system and better informing the public. -db
From The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, May 18, 2011, by Derek Green.