A Fox News PR executive was removed from a Delaware courtroom during jury selection in the Dominion defamation trial on Tuesday for taking a picture on their cellphone.
Fox News’ senior vice president of media relations Caley Cronin was ordered to move to a media overflow room after she was observed breaching a blanket ban on making visual or audio recordings during the trial.
Judge Eric Davis noted the seriousness of violating the rule against using devices to take images in court during the high-profile trial.
“If it’s flagrant, you may end up being held in contempt,” he said.
A Fox News spokesperson told The Independent that Ms Cronin had misunderstood the rules, and immediately deleted the image and apologised profusely.
The Washington Post’s Erik Wemple first reported on Ms Cronin’s removal, and said she was “summoned from Davis’s courtroom and directed to the overflow room for having taken a photograph in the courtroom before the day’s proceedings”.
Judge Davis last week issued a complete ban on any audio and video recordings during the trial.
He also warned reporters against typing loudly during the trial earlier on Tuesday.
After a 24-hour delay in the highly anticipated proceedings, a jury has been sworn in and opening arguments are due to begin on Tuesday afternoon.
