Fiona Apple and Carmen Johnson on coming together to promote courtroom transparency

A group of volunteer court observers across the country is coming together to launch a new national network to observe bail review hearings and other legal proceedings. Join Courtwatch PG director Carmen Johnson and Grammy-winning artist Fiona Apple, a volunteer court observer in Prince George’s County, Md., to discuss their push for more transparency and accountability in courtrooms nationwide.

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Highlights

“We are building a loving, peaceful, army that all we want is justice. We don't want no fights. We don't want nobody to go to jail … Just fighting for the rights that belong to the people is what this national Courtwatch hub is going to do." - Carmen Johnson (Video: Washington Post Live)

“It's a really important cause that I absolutely, genuinely, passionately believe in. If I can help, I want to help … And if I can somehow help just a few more people click on something then I want to do that. This is such an amazingly, elegant solution to a lot of ills … Let us work together. Let us make a giant network, a community across the nation that we help each other and that we know what’s going on … Don't let them make people numbers anymore. Let's care about people." Fiona Apple (Video: Washington Post Live)

“The biggest thing is having integrity. That’s my biggest thing. Seeing rightfully, hearing rightfully. We do have a lot of training that’s involved because it’s a lot of steps that you have to go through … It’s different arrays of people that work with Courtwatch PG with different skills and just about all of our courtwatchers are emphatically professionals.” - Carmen Johnson (Video: Washington Post Live)

Fiona Apple

Grammy-winning Artist & Volunteer Court Observer, Prince George’s County, Md.

Carmen Johnson

Director, Courtwatch & Judicial Accountability