The Risky Job of Court Reporting
On Monday, freelance court reporter, Anita Nembhard said she was assaulted when a woman who is before the courts lowered her face mask and coughed on her. The incident happened when Epifania Caliz, the common-law-wife of Elmer Nah, exited the courtroom where she is facing ammunition charges. Nembhard was making a video recording of Caliz to accompany the story on the court charge when Caliz walked right up to her, lowered her face mask and coughed in her face. This is one of several times when court reporters have come under attack or threat of an attack over the decades. But an amendment to the legislation on assault and threats that are made upon certain groups of people, including reporters, should deter accused and convicted persons and their relatives from committing these kinds of offenses. Today, News Five’s Marion Ali spoke with two other persons who have come under threats and assault while fulfilling the role of court reporter. Here’s that story.
Marion Ali, Reporting
On Monday, this woman, Epifania Caliz, lowered her face mask and coughed in the face of court reporter, Anita Nembhard just as she was taking a video recording of her leaving the courtroom. Nembhard chalks up the incident to assault by Caliz, who had appeared in court on ammunition offences.
Anita Nembhard
Anita Nembhard, Court reporter
“She came straight towards me, took her mask from she exited the door, and came and coughed into my face. I’ve never had a word with Epifania Caliz before. We have never had any kind of issues before. I sat right next to her in court on Monday during what was supposed to be the decision that was adjourned. I don’t understand what could have prompted her to behave in that manner.”
Almost everyone remembers when Leslie Pipersburgh and Patrick Robateau were convicted back in 2004 of the murders of their fellow Bowen and Bowen colleagues, security guards, Fidel Mai and Kevin Alvarez. The duo’s sentence of thirty-five years in prison was later upheld upon their appeal. But no one knows that when they exited the courtroom that day, Pipersburgh assaulted a videographer and attempted to also assault a court reporter who was taking their picture as they walked out of court. Former court reporter, Rowland Parks told News Five how he avoided getting hurt.
Voice of: Rowland Parks
Voice of: Rowland Parks, Former Court Reporter
“They were coming down the steps of the Supreme Court – the main court building with the clock on top, I was at the bottom of the stairs trying to get a good shot of them coming down after they were convicted and one of them – I think it was the dark one – I don’t remember the name, I nuh want seh Pipersburgh but the tall dark one, he attempted to knock my camera out of my hand. I was holding my camera so firm that he failed to knock it out of my hand.”
Roy Davis started out as a reporter back in 1979 and although he has suffered a stroke, is still working out of the courts today. He shared with us an incident when he was assaulted.
Roy Davis
Roy Davis, Court Reporter
“One time I was pushed down by wa accused person. I nuh wa call name but wa accused person cause he wasn’t convicted yet – but I expect all ah that with the job. I try not to be scared. All the threats weh I get, I try nuh fi – I maintain my cool and I nuh mek ih bother me.”
Nembhard and Davis say that the nature of their work is such that the people who appear in court from time to time either threaten, assault or attempt to intimidate them.
Anita Nembhard
“I don’t want to accept that this is what will happen every day, but I also have to be very cautious of the risks. I’ve always known that there are risks, but it’s happening so often now.”
Rowland Parks
“There have been other instances where criminals, accused persons attempted to try to hit me or my camera, but that wasn’t too cool because I usually hold my camera tight, and I try not to get too close to the people I was photographing out at the court.”
But there is an amendment to the existing law that governs the penalty for uttering threatening words and for assault upon certain categories of people, including reporters. In the first week of this month, Cabinet approved the Criminal Code that now makes threats and assault serious offenses. Minister Francis Fonseca rose to present the amendment in the House on Friday.
Francis Fonseca
Francis Fonseca, Cabinet Minister
“The press is absolutely fundamental to our democracy. It’s fundamental to the rule of law. The press has always historically acted as a check and balance on power. That’s the whole purpose and objective of the press. So even when we get irritated by questions and over the 20 years I have been asked a lot of irritating questions, I still understand and appreciate the absolute importance of a functioning, strong press. So I certainly hope that the People’s Constitution Commission complete its work that as a part of their recommendation, and of course these things have to come from the people – I hope the press is doing its work in doing its work in getting their representatives to advance this issue. I hope that at the end of when that report is produced, that will be one of the recommendations and I certainly will be very happy to support that recommendation.”
The three hope that the new penalties will discourage people from committing these offenses against court reporters and cameramen.
Rowland Parks
“The punishment from the court will be more severe than just a common assault and that in itself is a good thing because we who are reporters or you guys who are reporters now out there in the public domain take a lot from the public sometimes.”
Anita Nembhard
“We all need that kind of protection still, regardless of the job that we do, we should be protected.”
Roy Davis
“Amending the law, imposing stiffer penalties should help. I don’t know if it will because when people want to do things dehn nuh di worry bout weh da the consequences, dehn just do. Soh I nuh know if ih wa help but I hope it does.”
Marion Ali for News Five.
