KENOSHA, Wis. – A second Kenosha County judge has now followed the lead of Judge Chad Kerkman, issuing a sweeping order banning all media outlets from photographing or video-recording jury trials — a decision widely seen as unconstitutional, hypocritical, and retaliatory toward Kenosha County Eye.

On October 10, 2025, Judge Jason Rossell denied a request from the Kenosha News Media Coordinator to allow still photography during opening statements in the upcoming jury trial of fired Kenosha Police Officer Joshua Sylvester, who is charged with second-degree sexual assault by a law enforcement officer and misconduct in public office.

The request sought permission only to photograph opening statements — including images of the defendant, prosecutor, and defense attorney — not witnesses. Yet Rossell issued a blanket order barring all cameras and recording devices for jury trials in his courtroom, meaning there will be no photographs or video of one of the most significant and high-profile trials of the year, in which a fired Kenosha police officer stands accused of betraying the public trust in the worst possible way.

In his signed order, Rossell wrote:

“The purpose of the court in a criminal matter is to ensure a fair, open, and public trial for the State, the victim(s), and the defendant. The inclusion of cameras into the trial influences the jury, attorneys, witnesses, and defendant which can have a negative impact on the trial including distraction and potential intimidation from the fear of being photographed or being on video. It causes witnesses to act and speak differently which goes directly to the jury’s ability to determine the witness’ credibility.”

Rossell concluded that he must “weigh this impact on the fairness of trial with the requester’s rights.”

Rossell also said that cameras weren’t needed in court because “The photos of the judge and attorneys are ready
available from other non trial events…”

Critics say this logic is deeply flawed. Kenosha County Eye notes that photographs of prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges are typically copyrighted and owned by their original publishers, meaning the public cannot simply use or distribute them. Rossell’s claim that these existing photos are a sufficient substitute for real-time media access, they say, is disingenuous and misleading.

Judge Narrows Scope After Backlash

After Kenosha County Eye challenged the order directly, Rossell attempted to limit the scope of his ban in an email to KCE, claiming it applies only to jury trials and that he will still allow cameras for other hearings. However, his signed order on file does not contain that limitation, leaving all media outlets effectively barred from photographing or recording jury trials in his courtroom.

Mathewson Responds

“This judge thinks he’s smarter than he is,” said Kenosha County Eye editor Kevin Mathewson. “He actually believes he’s wiser than Judge Lance Ito, Judge Bruce Schroeder — America’s Judge — and every other judge before him who allowed cameras in jury trials. From O.J. Simpson to Kyle Rittenhouse, history has proven that televised trials strengthen public trust, not weaken it. For a judge to claim that cameras destroy fairness is not just arrogant, it’s ignorant.”

A Contradictory Record

Rossell’s new order also contradicts his own actions earlier this year. He granted Kenosha County Eye permission to take still photographs and Fox 6 Milwaukee permission to video-record the upcoming trial of Lee Hagopian, who is accused of practicing optometry without a license. That trial has not yet begun.

Now, Rossell asserts that cameras “influence the jury, attorneys, witnesses, and defendant,” an argument that observers note is unsupported by any case law or precedent. Veteran journalist Bryan Polcyn of Fox 6 told the court that, in his decades of experience, he has never seen evidence of case law suggesting cameras in courtrooms affect the outcome of a trial, a witness’s credibility, or a jury’s impartiality.

Troubling Judicial History

Kenosha County Eye has previously reported that Judge Rossell released two alleged child predators on no-cash bail, one of whom has since been arrested twice more while awaiting trial. The judge has also been reversed multiple times by the Wisconsin Court of Appeals for what higher courts described as serious errors in judgment. His latest move to bar media coverage, critics argue, continues a troubling pattern of poor legal reasoning and disregard for public accountability.

Here are three recent stories that Rossell and the public thought made him look terrible. One story, in particular, made him cancel court hearings after being so upset.

Public Access Blocked

The only way for the public to access this trial now will be to attend it in person — something that is not practicable for 99.9% of Kenosha County residents. Otherwise, the only way to find out what happens inside that courtroom would be to purchase transcripts that could cost $5,000 or more.

“This is a blatant attempt to keep information about this cop away from the public,” said Mathewson. “But Kenosha County Eye will not be backing down. We’ll attend the trial and report what happens. I won’t be bullied by Jason or Jerkman or any of these other anti-First Amendment liberal judges who seem to have forgotten what the Constitution says.”

Legal Battle Ahead

Kenosha County Eye’s ongoing federal lawsuit — Mathewson v. Kerkman et al., Case No. 25-CV-1492 — is currently pending before Judge J.P. Stadtmueller in the Eastern District of Wisconsin. The new Rossell order may soon become part of that legal fight.

Editor’s Note: KCE will be in the courtroom Monday to cover the Sylvester trial despite the new restrictions. Rossell is unfortunately not up for re-election until 2030. He has privately expressed interest in running for the Court of Appeals and even the Wisconsin Supreme Court — ambitions that most legal professionals consider farcical.

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