A lawyer for Mr. Smollett, Brian Watson, argued at last week’s court hearing that the media had plenty of access to Mr. Smollett’s case and that unsealing it would violate Mr. Smollett’s rights. Mr. Watson said the media’s position that intense public attention to the case precluded Mr. Smollett’s right to privacy was self-fulfilling; the media had full control over whether it gave a defendant that attention. Speaking outside the courtroom on Thursday, Mr. Watson said that he was unsure whether he will appeal the judge’s decision and that he had to speak with Mr. Smollett before making any next steps. But, he wrote, Mr. Smollett also chose to bring publicity to his own case and so should not be allowed the privacy of a sealed case file. Kim Foxx, the Cook County state’s attorney, wrote in a column in The Chicago Tribune that she wanted records in Mr. Smollett’s case to be made public.

Source: New York Times May 23, 2019 16:17 UTC