AUGUSTA (AP) – Court officials were impressed with the first use of videoconferencing in Maine courts and said it opens up a whole range of court proceedings that might be accomplished using video hookups.

Nine inmates appeared in District Court without even leaving jail Monday in the state’s first videoconferencing of criminal proceedings.

Videoconferencing had been tested in the past, but Monday was the first time it was tried in an official court proceeding, said Ted Glessner, state court administrator.

Judicial and law enforcement officials said videoconferencing will make courts more secure while cutting down on transportation costs and overtime for deputies who shuttle prisoners between jail and courts.

Aroostook County will probably have the first permanent videoconference system, Glessner said. It can take an hour or longer to drive from the Aroostook County jail in Houlton to courts in Presque Isle and Caribou; the court in Fort Kent is 100 miles away.

“It’s a security issue. We’d rather have people in custody at the jail rather than transport them to the court,” Glessner said. “It’s also a convenience issue because of the cost of transporting them to court. In a state like Maine, because of our geography, it just has all kinds of potential.”

During Monday’s proceedings in Augusta, the court and the jail were connected by closed-circuit television and wired for sound.

Assistant District Attorney Derrick Banda and defense attorneys Steve Bourget and Pamela Ames were at the jail sitting with the defendants in the jail library. They could see Judge Vendean Vafiades at her place in the courtroom, and they could talk clearly to each other.

Eight arraignments and one initial court appearance, for crimes ranging from check forgery to motor vehicle violations, took place during the session.

Vafiades was impressed with the system. She said videoconferencing could be used for depositions, taking testimony from expert witnesses in other states, using interpreters and other applications.

“Once you get it up and running, it will be limitless,” she said. “We’re committed to keep plugging along at this.”

Glessner said Monday’s session served as a test to make sure the bugs are out of the system before videoconferencing is installed in other courts. He hopes the Aroostook County system is in place by the end of the year.

The prospect for success seems promising over the long term, said Kennebec County District Attorney Evert Fowle. A second trial run will be held next week.

“There are a few things we’re working on to perfect things and address our concerns, but the first day looks pretty promising. So far, so good,” said Fowle.

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Information from: Bangor Daily News, http://www.bangornews.com

AP-ES-01-24-06 1001EST

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