From a grieving father whose son was shot to death by police with no charges brought: "It is time that communities demand total transparency from government and community-driven use-of-force policies for our police."
Police shot and killed my white son. I understand the outrage over George Floyd
Overland Park police lowered the “blue veil” over the investigation.
www.kansascity.com
Good stuff, and let's emphasize one more oft-forgotten law, the Privacy Protection Act, strong federal protection that forbids police from seizing or searching working journalists' cameras, smartphones or laptops. https://splc.org/2002/01/student-media-guide-to-the-privacy-protection-act/ https://twitter.com/Poynter/status/1266422301249155077
'The constitution does protect the right of a member of the media to stand on a public street or sidewalk, to talk to people and to photograph.'
https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2020/heading-back-to-ferguson-know-your-rights/
Minnesota is one of only 12 states where the public is clearly entitled to see the record of complaints against law enforcement officers. It's inconceivable that this won't soon be the law in every state, after the George Floyd case.
The Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyd's neck had 18 previous complaints against him, police department says
The former Minneapolis police officer seen in a video with his knee on George Floyd's neck had 18 prior complaints filed against him with the Minneapo...
www.cnn.com
For @ABACommLawForum, Brechner's @FrankLoMonte and @LindaNorbut explained what might happen if a publisher brought a First Amendment suit over being targeted by White House threats.
Just in case this comes in handy. https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/publications/communications_lawyer/Winter2018/cl_v033n03_winter18.pdf
I wrote about Donald Trump and Twitter—and why the president simply cannot claim that the social platform is stifling his right to free speech.
Why Trump Can't Claim Twitter Is Violating His Free Speech
If anyone is breaching the First Amendment, it's the president.
www.adweek.com
Article: The expanding "qualified immunity" doctrine is giving police greater latitude to arrest journalists covering protests without suffering any consequences, even if their motive is to suppress news coverage.
‘Catch and Release’: Cops, Media and the Supreme Court | The Crime Report
Police have temporarily detained journalists at protests or blocked citizen reporters from videotaping an arrest on the grounds they refused to obey l...
thecrimereport.org
Pleased to work with @SPLC, @EFF and @ncacensorship on this important First Amendment case that provides SCOTUS an ideal vehicle to declare that state universities can't punish students for "unprofessional" political speech on social media. https://brechner.org/2020/05/19/supreme-court-asked-to-take-first-amendment-appeal-of-medical-student-punished-for-disrespectful-anti-abortion-post-on-facebook/
Call for 2020 Freedom of Information #FOI Paper Competition. Deadline FRIDAY 5/15 Midnight. Cash prizes. Journal-published. Submit 1-page proposal. #Journalists #journalism #academia #stateandlocal #democracy #researchers #FOIA #1A
https://www.nfoic.org/blogs/nfoic-and-brechner-center-2020-freedom-information-paper-competition-call
Looks like it has been a painful week for layoffs at @qz, @WIRED and many more. Hope some of those afflicted will apply for a grant through @BrechnerCenter to write about government secrecy issues (deadline Friday). https://brechner.org/2020/04/24/brechner-center-announces-new-reporting-fellowship/
Alabama's public utility commission is trying to restrict recording, live-tweeting and other routine news coverage of hearings that, by law, the public is entitled to attend.
Alabama Utility Commission To Consider Ban on Recording Meetings | WBHM 90.3
Alabama’s Public Service Commission is considering new rules that restrict recording formal hearings. Critics say the “Media Coverage Plan...
wbhm.org