Judge To Decide If TV Can Enter Magic Kingdom Trial Network Wants To Provide Coverage Of Suit Against Walt Disney Co.

Court TV, the cable network that took viewers gavel to gavel with O.J. Simpson, has its cameras pointed at yet another gloved defendant: Mickey Mouse.

An Orange County Superior Court judge is expected to decide next week whether to let the trial network provide live coverage in the case of a former Mouseketeer who is suing the Walt Disney Co. after she and her family were robbed in the Disneyland parking lot.

Billie Jean Matay has charged the theme park with negligence and false imprisonment in connection with that 1995 incident, which is set for trial June 3. Her suit also claims that Disneyland inflicted “emotional distress” on her three grandchildren when they were allowed to see performers remove their character costumes in a backstage area, thus “exposing the children to the reality that the Disney characters were, in fact, make believe.”

It’s not exactly the trial of the century, but Court TV’s coverage would give 29 million households a window into the Magic Kingdom absent the usual coating of pixie dust.

Thus Disney is working to persuade Orange County Superior Judge Richard Luesebrink to seal court records, close the courtroom to the public and news media “where necessary” and ban TV cameras from the civil proceedings.

A lawsuit that was fodder for late night talk show comedians when it was first filed is suddenly raising serious concerns about a company’s right to secrecy vs. First Amendment freedom.

“Big companies like Disney don’t like these kinds of events publicized,” said Guylyn Cummins, attorney for Court TV. “They definitely don’t want evidence of any crimes getting out to the public, which is all the more reason why the public is entitled to know.”

Court TV, which is controlled by Time-Warner, plans to broadcast live daytime coverage of the trial, which is expected to last three to five days, according to Court TV spokeswoman Lynn Rosenstrach.

Disneyland spokesman Tom Brocato said the park’s main objection to televised coverage is that it would compromise security at the park.

Testimony will focus heavily on confidential details of Disneyland’s parking lot procedures. If beamed into millions of homes, that sensitive information would provide a blueprint for thugs to prey on unsuspecting visitors, Brocato said.