WWL obtained the video from the St. Bernard Parish Sherriff’s Office for a report on the death of the alleged shoplifter, Norbert Gallego. The video shows Gallego, who was mentally disabled, “being tackled, then held down by two store employees for several minutes,” according to WWL. He was hospitalized for his injuries and remained in a coma for a month before he died.

The supermarket chain, Breaux Mart, asked for an injunction to stop the station from airing the footage Tuesday, according to the Associated Press:

Breaux Mart lawyers said one of the chain’s owners saw a promotion for WWL’s news report and recognized the surveillance footage. “The advertisement ended with a statement to the effect of ‘Why weren’t these men charged?’ leaving the viewer to infer that the Breaux Mart employees had committed a crime,” they wrote.

WWL reported that nobody was charged in Gallego’s death after the parish coroner, Bryan Bertucci, concluded he died of natural causes. Bertucci told WWL that it “wasn’t an easy case.”

Watch WWL’s report, which aired last night with the surveillance camera footage, after the jump. continued…

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The arguments before the Supreme Court are the last step in a years-long effort by KOMO to use police videos as a means of checking officer behavior. KOMO first requested a database and copies of Seattle police dashcam videos in 2010 during a Problem Solvers investigation about excessive force and biased policing.

In spite of numerous requests, the department told KOMO that the video records — the way the station asked for them — didn’t exist. After more than a year, the city did provide KOMO with a database, but then refused to supply the dashcam videos, saying there was a three-year exemption under the law.

“This is about every single citizen in the state of Washington and their right to have access to the videos that the police have, and their right to hold police accountable,” [KOMO news director Holly] Gauntt said.

KOMO reports the Supreme Court bypassed the appeals court and took the case directly, which can be done when the court believes there is “substantial public importance.” A decision is expected in three to six months.

Watch KOMO’s report after the jump. continued…

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Datz was on a public street when he was arrested.

“Mr. Datz’s arrest was not an isolated event,” said Robert Balin, a partner with Davis Wright Tremaine and lead counsel on the case. “Suffolk County police officers have a pattern of unlawfully interfering with the recording of police activity conducted in plain view. As a journalist, Mr. Datz has a responsibility to cover police activity in public places.” continued…

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On Wednesday, the City of Sanford, which has enlisted the help of a private PR firm in the wake of the Trayvon Martin shooting, issued a press release stating that law enforcement officials would “not hesitate” to arrest members of the media who approach city employees outside of working hours.

After receiving complaints from Orlando stations, including WESH and WFTV, the city issued a follow-up release on Thursday evening, rescinding its threat. continued…

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The City of Sanford issued a press release on Wednesday requesting that “members of the media refrain from approaching, phoning or emailing city employees when they are in their roles as private citizens.”

“It has come to light that there have been a few incidents where city staff were followed and approached at their home or in settings outside of working hours,” the press release states.  “Law enforcement officials will not hesitate to make an arrest for stalking.”

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“Whether I like what you write or whether I like what you report, you have an essential role in telling the truth,” Emanuel said to a group of reporters on Monday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.  “I want to say this: You won’t be handcuffed. That I can assure you today.”

A little over a week ago, Ponce and WMAQ photographer Donte Williams were handcuffed outside of a hospital as they attempted to report on the murder of a six-year-old girl.  Police detained the pair while they were situated on a median in a street alongside the hospital. continued…

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Chicago police took WGN reporter Dan Ponce and WMAQ photographer Donte Williams into custody on Saturday, saying the two were “creating a scene” outside of Mt. Sinai Hospital.

Ponce and Williams, who were part of a media contingent covering the fatal shooting of a six-year-old girl, were handcuffed by an officer after they refused to move farther away from the hospital (video above). “You first amendment rights can be terminated if you create a scene,” the officer told them. “Your first amendment rights have limitations.” continued…

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In November, the New York Press Club sent a letter to city officials protesting treatment of journalists during the Occupy Wall Street raid. In response, police commissioner Ray Kelly told officers that they could be disciplined for disrupting media access, according to the Washington Post. But journalists in New York City say that there continues to be interference while they work.

“A number of press entities feel that more needs to be done if we are to resolve these issues in an amicable manner,” the media letter said, according to the Post. continued…

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He went on to explain that no reporters were arrested at Zuccotti Park during the raid, where reporters cooperated and were held two blocks back. As for the arrests of reporters made later that day elsewhere in lower Manhattan, they might not have happened with more oversight.

“Had we had somebody there, DCPI would probably try to accommodate a reporter getting caught up in a situation with a group pushing through police lines,” he explained. He added that the five reporters had their arrests voided.

Mr. Browne made no defense for keeping media out of the Zuccotti raid altogether, explaining that a press pass does not mean the automatic right to cross police lines. continued…

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Paul Ezra Rhoades is scheduled to die by lethal injection on Friday morning and authorities have barred members of the media from viewing the first 25 minutes of the procedure.

The execution is the first to occur in Idaho in over 15 years and prison officials plan to begin the procedure in private before allowing witnesses into the execution chamber. continued…

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In a press release sent out late Tuesday, the NPPA joined the New York Press Club in criticizing the aggressive maneuvers taken by police to limit journalists’ access to the area surrounding the park.

Condemning the NYPD’s “apparent targeting of journalists for detention and arrest,” the NPPA called the action “just another in the growing list of incidents across the country where visual journalists have been harassed, interfered with and arrested as they attempt to cover maters of public concern.” continued…

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“As police officers acted to remove Occupy Wall Street protesters from Zuccotti Park, several reporters protested that they were the victims of harassment and that their rights under the First Amendment were violated,” wrote Gabe Pressman, longtime WNBC reporter and president of the New York Press Club Foundation, in a letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.

“The actions of some police officers were not consistent with the long-established relationship between the NYPD and the press,” Pressman added. continued…

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One of the stories Washington, DC stations have been folllowing recently was the case of Bryan Thompson, a 14-year-old student at Colonial Forge High School who was suspended for running onto the field during a school football game — wearing a banana costume — earlier this month.

Thompson was interviewed by WRC reporter Pat Collins this week (watch the video, above). Thompson wore the infamous banana suit, and Collins, not to be outdone, dressed like a grape, in a not-so-subtle attempt to make the point that Thompson was doing nothing wrong. continued…

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In announcing their decision to remove the scanners back in July, the police department cited their own budgetary considerations.  But many feel that it was done in an effort to limit the media’s access to police communications.

For the past several years, Jacksonville media outlets have rented scanners from the police department.  According to The Florida Times-Union, local news agencies would rent the $4,600 Motorola radios, with special encrypted frequencies, for about $70 each per month. continued…

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KYTV

The two media outlets have hired an attorney with extensive experience on First Amendment cases to argue that court documents should remain open in a case involving John Q. Hammons, an ailing local businessman whose friends are working to have a public official put in charge of his guardianship.

Hammons, 92, currently lives in a nursing home and eight of his friends have joined together to argue that Jacquie Dowdy, Hammons’s legal guardian and former business associate, is keeping him unnecessarily secluded.

Through his legal representative, Hammons asserts that he is concerned that a court case could violate his right to privacy. continued…

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