But a federal judge ruled today that a lawsuit seeking to overturn the initiative banning same-sex marriage in California could be played later on YouTube:

Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker in San Francisco ordered the video coverage, the first ever for a federal trial in California, over the objections of Proposition 8's sponsors. Their lawyer argued that allowing the proceedings to be viewed outside the courthouse would violate their right to a fair trial by intimidating their witnesses.

"The knowledge that you're testifying to untold thousands or millions ... can cause some witnesses to become more timid," and induce others to be overly dramatic, attorney Michael Kirk told Walker. ...

Walker's order, subject to final approval by the appeals court's chief judge, allows live video feeds to public areas of federal appeals courthouses in San Francisco, Pasadena, Seattle and Portland, Ore., and to a federal court in Chicago that has requested it.

The videotape will be posted on a YouTube site as soon as possible, which might be later the same day or the next morning, said Buz Rico, the court's technical adviser.

But the decision isn't final: Judge Walker has left open the comment period until Friday, and the 9th Circuit's chief justice could reverse the decision before the trial begins next week. Meanwhile, Prop-8 sponsors Protect Marriage (AKA, the Special Rights for Bigots Campaign) may appeal the decision. But the Courage Campaign has gathered 87,950 signers for an online letter to keep the video public, and they want more folks to sign the letter. You can sign it HERE.