Further thoughts on this -- the grand jury appears to have the legal right to jail him, though I find the contention that this is a federal case not a California one -- because of federal grants to the San Francisco police -- to be rather far-fetched. However, is this a good use of grand jury power, offhand I think not. And if I were a local politician, this would certainly discourage me from letting the federal government help *my* town.
more info: http://cbs5.com/topstories/local_story_213174005.html On 8/2/06, Dana <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > hmm it isn't that simple. I have only read the one story that Nick > posted, but the footage is of a demonstration, not simple vandalism. > Apparently a police car was damaged in the course of the demonstration and > they want to know if unaired portions of the tape point to who and how. I'd > have to see the guy's rationale to know what I think of this. > > If he wants to avoid setting a precedent I might agree with him. This is > not a matter of say a murder that we know for sure happened. It's people who > were exercising their right to free speech and perhaps some of them also > committed a misdemeanour. If I weigh that out I come down in favor of not > setting a precedent. > > As for whether a blogger is a journalist, I think this is something that > has not been worked out yet. It may depend on the blog. But regardless of > the blog, the guy sold some of the film to a local television station so in > my book that makes him a freelance journalist. > > > On 8/2/06, Robert Munn <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Keep in mind that Judy Miller spent several months in jail over the > > Plame > > leak case. Personally, I don't think journalists should have blanket > > protection where criminals acts are involved. This blogger's claim is a > > perfect example. What right of free speech protects him no turning over > > video evidence of a crime? Nothing. > > > > On 8/2/06, Nick wrote: > > > > > > OK, so here is a question, at what point does a person with a blog > > become > > > a > > > journalist? > > > > > > A blogger was sent to prison today for failing to turn over a video > > that > > > prosecutors claim has footage of a group of people vandalizing a > > police > > > car. > > > He is claiming that he is a journalist and has the right to keep some > > > information private. > > > > > > > > > > > http://news.com.com/Blogger+jailed+after+defying+court+orders/2100-1028_3-61 > > > 01187.html > > > > > > Two things, first, this may contain footage of a crime that occurred > > in a > > > public place, even if the guy were a journalist, should it still be > > > protected? Is this equal to not revealing a source? > > > > > > 2nd, Can a person that has a day job, that writes a blog be considered > > a > > > journalist? What is a journalist? > > > > > > > > -- > > --------------- > > Robert Munn > > www.funkymojo.com > > > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Introducing the Fusion Authority Quarterly Update. 80 pages of hard-hitting, up-to-date ColdFusion information by your peers, delivered to your door four times a year. http://www.fusionauthority.com/quarterly Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/message.cfm/messageid:212343 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
