August 1, 2002
Alexandria residents got a taste of what is to come as the media descended on the city for last week’s hearing in the Zacarias Moussaoui case.
Both Jamison and Elizabeth lanes were partially closed to vehicular traffic and parking was limited around the federal courthouse. Pedestrians were allowed into the area but had to produce photo identifications.
Between 200 and 300 members of the media milled around the courthouse square and parked transmission vehicles on what will be the media center site. Interviews began at 4 a.m. on July 25 and the last one was conducted at 1:00 a.m. the following morning.
“Because the courthouse square isn’t closed yet, most of the media conducted interviews right in front of the courthouse,” said Barbara Gordon, public information officer for the city of Alexandria. “There were a lot of people but not as many as we expected.”
FEDERAL MARSHALS are already erecting jersey barriers along Jamison and anticipate closing the courthouse square by Aug. 19. The gravel surfacing has already been put down on the media center site. Electrical work and sewer connections will be completed on the media center site this week. The media platform where television cameras will be placed and where interviews will be conducted will be constructed around Labor Day.
During the second week of September, work trailers and restroom trailers will be delivered and installed. All inspections must be completed by Sept. 23, the tentative date when the media center will be open.
“We want to have everything ready to go the week before jury selection in the Moussaoui case, begins,” Gordon said.
The schedule is tentative and could change for any number of reasons.