In a perfect 9-0 verdict today, the Supreme Court upheld our right as private citizens NOT TO HAVE the police bring the news-media along into our homes while serving warrants.
In case you're thinking, "This doesn't affect me, I'm a law-abiding citizen," you couldn't be more wrong. The problem is that cops make mistakes. Thousands and thousands of them every single day across this country. Sometimes they're little mistakes and a search warrant is issued for the wrong address. Sometimes they're horrific mistakes and the cops shoot a sleeping woman dozens of times or rape an immigrant with a stick.
When the mistake is searching the wrong house (hell, even if its the right house) I have always believed that the cops shouldn't bring the news media along because it creates a false impression of guilt. When others see the cops arresting someone on TV they assume the person must be guilty (otherwise, why would they show it on TV?)
Furthermore, many of these shows take pictures of people naked or nearly naked to boost their ratings. Sometimes they are able to get the victim's approval, sometimes they just blur out the face. Either way, it's an "invasion" we don't need.
I read that one of the trash shows said they were still in business because they go back afterwards for permission (or blur the faces). But the Court said citizens can sue the cops for this infringement even if the pictures are not published! So the real question is, how many cops are stupid enough to allow the film crews to continue to ride along?
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