Below find one comment as posted on the Herald Palladium.
A sharper eye at courthouse
New X-ray machine sees both sides of scanned objects
By Scott Aiken - H-P
Friday, September 17, 2010
ST. JOSEPH - New security equipment bought for the Berrien County Courthouse with a $50,200 federal grant is already paying off, an official said Thursday.
An X-ray scanner installed inside the entrance about a month ago has revealed knives and marijuana, courthouse security Director Joseph Zangaro told county commissioners...
Joe wrote on Sep 17, 2010 4:27 PM:
"The courthouse can be very busy, Zangaro reported, but a cell phone ban put into effect several years ago has cut down on the number of people who show up to watch trials or other proceedings."
I find it very interesting (and slightly disturbing) that the people running the courthouse note this approvingly. I don't think we should be happy that they've managed to find a marginally "justifiable" restriction so inconvenient to modern life that it actually dissuades people from seeing our justice system in action.
Cell phones are allowed at the US Supreme Court building in Washington, but are too much of a threat for the court building in Berrien County, Michigan? Come on!