His lawyers have requested that they be allowed to film his extradition appeal, which began on Monday at New Zealand’s High Court in Auckland. The US opposes the plan.

Justice Murray Gilbert, the New Zealand judge hearing the appeal, criticized the request for coming at the last-minute but said he’d allow other media to discuss it before making a decision.

The latest episode in Dotcom’s legal saga comes five years after the US shut down his file-sharing site Megaupload, which prosecutors say was widely used by people to illegally download songs, television shows and films.

Extradition charges

A New Zealand judge ruled last year that Dotcom and three Megaupload co-founders could be extradited to the US to face conspiracy, racketeering and money-laundering charges. They could face decades in jail if found guilty, but argue that they can’t be held responsible for people who chose to use the site, once one of the most popular on the internet, for illegal purposes.

Fast and balanced reporting

Dotcom’s lawyer Ron Mansfield said the streaming would have a 10-minute delay to ensure sensitive information could be censored and argued livestreaming would ensure fast and balanced reporting, as opposed to the constraints of traditional media.

Sources: The Washington Post; Stuff; BBC News