@realcaseyrollins i'm not familiar with that being a thing.

typical auction the bid itself is known to everyone (though the bidders might be masked with numbers or so.) the auction itself might be closed to a select group of people. or in a dutch auction the price is set and drops every X time and goes to the first bidder.

classifying both the bidder and the amount is some nonsense, especially considering the court allowed tv reporters in to the trial. if the victims and the perpetrator and the hearing isn't secret what legitimate reason is there that the buyer should be

especially given there is no way in that setup to, say, note that the judge didn't just tell the desired winner how much to bid.