Judge rules Seattle media business must turn over unpublished protest images to authorities – Seattle Times

5 news outlets, consisting of The Seattle Times, will have to comply with a subpoena and offer the Seattle Authorities Department unpublished video and pictures from a May 30 racial justice demonstration that turned violent, a judge ruled Thursday.

King County Superior Court Judge Nelson Lee sided with the Police Department in a morning hearing, ruling that its subpoena was enforceable. He found that the pictures and video were critical for an examination into the supposed arson of SPD cars and theft of cops guns.

Lee stated the wire service were not protected by a Washington state shield law that under numerous scenarios prevents authorities from getting press reporters’ unpublished products.

The judge placed some limits on the subpoena. He stated cops might use the images to identify suspects just in the arson and weapon theft examinations. Investigators might not use the pictures or video to pursue suspects in vandalism or other lesser criminal offenses– even if authorities found such proof.

The subpoena would also be limited to professional electronic camera equipment and would leave out press reporters’ cell phone images and videos.

The Seattle Times and TV stations KIRO 7, KING 5, KOMO 4 and KCPQ 13 were all subpoenaed. Advertising Lee ruled that the SPD had met its problem to overcome the guard law: that the images were”extremely material and pertinent “and”important or essential”to prove an issue that

has a compelling public interest for its disclosure. Getting the stolen weapons off the street was one compelling public interest, Lee found. The law also needed the authorities to demonstrate that all” affordable and readily available means “to acquire the information has actually been tired.

Seattle Times Executive Editor Michele Matassa Flores stated the paper highly opposes the subpoena and “believes it puts our independence, and even our personnel’s physical safety, at threat.”

“The media exist in big part to hold governments, consisting of police, accountable to the public,” stated Matassa Flores. “We do not work in show with federal government, and it’s important to our trustworthiness and effectiveness to keep our independence from those we cover.”

The lawyer representing the media business, Eric Stahl, argued Thursday that the cops were casting too wide an internet and couldn’t show that the images would identify the suspects.

“You need to have a strong factor to think there is really going to be critical evidence” in the images, Stahl stated after the hearing. “We believe there was excessive speculation going on.”