Clara Harris was found guilty of killing her husband, David, by running him down with her car after seeing him with his mistress, Gail Bridges. Harris is serving 20 years in prison.

More than 25 reporters from different national media sources were present during the trial, including representatives from: World News Tonight, The Early Show, The Today Show, New York Times, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and 20/20. The Houston Chronicle and other local media affiliates were also present.

I am currently a communication student interning at 45 KXLN-TV Univision, and I was the only media intern present in the courtroom. My assignment was to gather information and to translate the court notes into Spanish.

For three weeks, I sat in the media section two rows behind Harris and her attorneys, George Parnham, Emily Munoz and Dee McWilliams, hearing dramatic testimonies and arguments for nine hours a day.

It was interesting to note that two witnesses for the trial were students from UH-Clear Lake. Claudine Phillips, who works for Blue Moon Investigations, the local investigation company hired by Harris to follow her husband, testified how she coordinated the investigation.

John Tyler, UH-Clear Lake alumni, also testified as a witness to the fighting incident between Harris and Bridges in the Nassau Bay Hilton lobby.

When Harris was called to the witness stand, it shocked everyone. No one expected her to take the stand.

Many of Harris¹ friends and relatives viewed Harris as the sympathetic figure and hoped she would receive the minimum penalty of 10 years probation.

My Spanish professor from San Jacinto College-Central, Hildegart Hoquee, a personal friend of Clara and David Harris, was in the courtroom. I assisted 45 KXLN-TV Univision with an exclusive interview with Hoquee.

This interview was viewed nationally and internationally by Spanish-speaking people.

Soon other reporters, such as CNN¹s Connie Chung, also managed to get a "live" interview with Hoquee.

With just one pool camera in the courtroom and no audio, the public depended on the media to report accurate, up-to-date information.

To a first-year intern, the experience exposed a whole new world of courtroom procedures and the international impact of media coverage.

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