In two recent posts, linked here and here , we discussed wiretapping arrests for videotaping or recording the police. One of the potential results of such an arrest is a Section 1983 lawsuit based, in part, on a violation of the arrestee’s First...(read more)
Jean v. Massachusetts State Police and the Right to Record the Police
In an earlier post , we began analyzing whether there is a recognized “right to record the police.” We looked at judicial decisions in Maryland and in Illinois involving each state’s wiretapping statute. In this post, we examine a decision issued in...(read more)
Is There A Right To Record the Police?
According to one recent judicial opinion, Ickes v. Borough of Bedford (W.D. Pa. Dec. 3, 2010), "the issue of police officers arresting citizens for recording them in public has recently been brought to the forefront of the cultural Zeitgeist." From...(read more)
FCC Fines Broadcast of Telephone Conversation without Prior Notice
The FCC today issued an order finding a broadcaster apparently liable for a $4,000 fine for broadcasting telephone conversations without giving prior notice of its intention to do so. This order provides some important lessons for reporters who may...(read more)