CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : SAN FRANCISCO : Sketches, Tapes of Executions Rejected

The federal judge who last month rejected a bid to televise executions at San Quentin State Prison refused to order officials to permit news agencies to bring audio tape recorders and sketch pads to such proceedings. U.S. District Judge Robert H. Schnacke rejected the request by television station KQED at a hearing in San Francisco. The station said recent disclosures that Georgia prison officials tape-recorded events immediately before and after executions--and allowed a radio station to broadcast the tapes--supported its contentions that such recordings present no threat to prison security. In his ruling June 7, Schnacke cited security concerns in denying access to television cameras. Station officials said they will decide soon whether to appeal the ruling to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.