When a 9-year-old and 10-year-old are accused of torturing a 5-year-old child, should the court proceedings remain hidden from public view?

That question formed the center of a heated legal battle in Cuyahoga County, with Judge Kristen Sweeney ultimately siding with transparency in a ruling that the Today in Ohio podcast panel vigorously supported.

“Judge Sweeney said those proceedings will remain open to the public,” reported Courtney Astolfi on the podcast. “She said straight up, the law doesn’t allow the court to close these proceedings. And she said it seemed pretty clear that closing them wasn’t an option. She said, quote, ‘It’s just not legally permissible.’”

The case has shocked the Cleveland community, not only because of the disturbing nature of the allegations, but because i

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