Held hostage

Dr. Conrad Murray, former personal physician to the late pop star Michael Jackson, is the focus of an investigation into Jackson's drug overdose death but has not been charged in that case.

On Monday, Dr. Murray and his attorneys appeared in Clark County Family Court before Senior Judge Gerald Hardcastle on a separate matter.

When the proceeding ended, Judge Hardcastle left the bench and Dr. Murray and his entourage also left the courtroom. A number of reporters, videographers and producers from The Associated Press and several other media outlets -- including the Review-Journal -- endeavored to follow him, presumably to discuss the Jackson matter. But an armed, uniformed court bailiff, Dennis Curran, blocked the door and declined several requests from journalists to let them leave.

Mr. Curran said he was following orders. His supervisor, Sgt. Steve Rushfield, did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Lawyers, judges and prosecutors have a word for armed men who keep free citizens -- citizens not charged with or suspected of any crime -- imprisoned against their will. They call them kidnappers.

"Whoever ordered this improper and possibly unlawful detention has some explaining to do," said Associated Press associate general counsel Dave Tomlin.

Chief District Judge Art Ritchie says it's perfectly normal for one party to be kept in Family Court until the other party has cleared the scene in volatile divorce or custody cases. But that doesn't even remotely describe the circumstances of this case. If anything, we now see the result of a flawed and extralegal policy being allowed to become routine.

It's bad enough when the politically connected help their pals escape the scrutiny of the press and public, as when Charvez Foger, an aide to U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, used his security-access card to usher convicted felon -- and Reid protege -- Dario Herrera out a secure, private federal courthouse exit after Herrera was convicted of political corruption in Las Vegas in the spring of 2006 -- an act "contrary to our policy," according to U.S. Marshal Fidencio Rivera.

But what course is now recommended for reporters attending routine hearings in Family Court? Should they pack lunches and carry sleeping bags?

Senior Judge Hardcastle says he didn't issue the order. And Judge Ritchie said that if the court had to do it all over again, bailiffs would not have detained the press. Fine.

At the very least, some public reprimands are in order.