By Carlos Miller
Even when cops are trying to gain the public’s sympathy, they are not immune from trampling on the First Amendment rights of the press.
Take the latest case from Atlantic City where hundreds of cops packed into a meeting to show support for five officers who are being laid off.
According to the Press of Atlantic City, a pair of journalists were ordered to leave by Mayor John McMenamin for reasons that are not clear.
Emotions ran high at Tuesday’s meeting and at one point, McMenamin told a Press of Atlantic City reporter and photographer to leave the meeting, while allowing another newspaper photographer to stay. The Press staff refused, citing their right to be at a public meeting.
Police Chief Thomas Conroy asked McMenamin if he wanted to sign a criminal complaint against them. McMenamin declined to sign.
As chief of police, Conroy should have defended the journalists’ right to be at the public meeting rather than offer to sign a criminal complaint against them.
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8 responses so far ↓
1 Michaelk42 // Mar 3, 2010 at 5:55 PM
“You want I should throw these clowns in the clink, boss?”
Criminy.
Michaelk42´s last blog ..Hard to let go
2 Doug // Mar 3, 2010 at 6:35 PM
It has happened to me too. In Alabama, we have a sunshine law, not that the police enforce it.
http://www.ago.state.al.us/documents/open_meeting.pdf
3 Rob // Mar 3, 2010 at 10:16 PM
The article says that the press staff refused to leave the meeting. Were they actually kicked out or did the mayor TRY to have them removed?
Rob´s last blog ..San Diego Reader Story: We Don’t Want You Taking Pictures
4 Frank Palmer // Mar 4, 2010 at 12:47 AM
Hey look at that. PINAC took best over all blog. Sweet. I didn’t think some silly pizza blog would really take over. It does seem a little odd though because PINAC did not take any of the other categorys even though it was in first place for a while in 3 of them. Congrats Carlos and keep up the good work.
5 Frank Palmer // Mar 4, 2010 at 12:47 AM
Link to winners
http://interactive.sun-sentinel.com/community/ssblogcontest/index-win.php
6 Frank // Mar 4, 2010 at 7:11 AM
The mayor woke up at the last minute and realized that “criminal complaint” = “triple damages for violating a fundamental civil right.”
Don’t fuck with people who buy paper by the truckload and ink by the barrel.
7 KBCraig // Mar 4, 2010 at 10:17 AM
So, 500 cops show up to protest 5 cops being laid off?
I know with a BA in journalism I’m not supposed to be good at math — and I’m not — but by my calculations, if just those officers who actually showed up would donate a mere 1% of their salaries, they could support those who have been pink-slipped.
No doubt they have at least 4,500 supporting officers who couldn’t attend… if they all contributed, it would take just 0.1% of their paychecks.
But no, it’s much easier to strongarm the public out of their money, instead.
8 akagoldfish // Mar 5, 2010 at 1:06 AM
Can you say “prior restraint”?
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