Last night the New Hampshire Supreme Court unanimously decided to order Superior Court Judge Peter Smith, who is presiding over Robert Tulloch's hearing this morning, to allow television, radio and still photography coverage of the courtroom.
The Supreme Court's decision comes after Smith repeatedly stated that he did not want the proceedings to be broadcast, Michelle Walch of WBZ-TV Boston said.
"I'm not a legal expert, but my sense it that this is an unusual decision on the part of the Supreme Court," Jennifer Crompton of WMUR-TV Manchester said.
WMUR was one of seven media entities, comprised of WBZ-TV, WBZ Radio, the Boston Globe, the Courtroom Television Network and the Massachusetts and New Hampshire Associations of Broadcasters, that petitioned the Supreme Court yesterday for an emergency order to allow coverage of the hearing.
"We are the major TV station in the state, and we're ready, willing and able to handle whatever the judge decides tomorrow morning," Crompton said of the possibility that WMUR could be the single "pool camera" allowed in the courtroom.
Coverage "is accessible to any media group that shows up to plug in, or they can get a copy," Crompton said. "Media entities can also pull it off the satellite."
Smith has always banned cameras and tape recorders in his courtroom, citing the lack of facilities available to protect jurors and witnesses. Since there will be no jurors or witnesses at today's hearing, Smith's concerns were made irrelevant after Tulloch, 18, gave up his right to a trial.
Susannah Heschel, Professor of Religion and friend of the Zantops, said she didn't believe the hearing should be broadcast and that she will not watch it.
"I don't want to see them. They make me nauseous. Why would I want to look at them?" Heschel said. "I don't want them to be given this kind of publicity and attention -- it's exactly what they want."
"I'm sick over the whole thing. I think that they are two monsters unleashed on our society."
At the same time, Heschel said, "I think the system of justice seems to be working appropriately."
"I was relieved to have a clear-cut admission of guilt," said geology Professor James Aronson, a friend and colleague of Half Zantop, said.
"My biggest issue is that it looks like the two young men acted in concert, that what they did was deliberate and malicious in the worst way," Aronson said. "My view is that Parker is equally guilty as Tulloch and deserves life imprisonment without parole."
The Associated Press reported yesterday that Tulloch's lawyer was visiting the teen in prison, apparently trying to change his mind. Tulloch's decision to change his plea was reportedly made against the advice of his counsel.
The daughters of the murdered professors, Marianne and Veronika Zantop, are expected to appear at the 9 a.m. hearing, lead prosecutor Kelly Ayotte said. She did not know if the sisters would be speaking at the hearing but mentioned they had that choice.
While Ayotte said she did not know if Tulloch or James Parker would be speaking, the defendant's parents will be present at the hearing, according to the Associated Press.
Tulloch is expected to change his plea to guilty, which if accepted by the judge would mean immediate incarceration in the men's prison in Concord. The sentence for first-degree murder is life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
