The First Amendment Coalition and independent news organization Knock LA filed a motion to unseal search warrant records related to the September 2020 arrests of protesters amid a demonstration over Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department’s killing of Black cyclist Dijon Kizzee. Deputies arrested 17 people at the protest, citing them with failure to disperse, a misdemeanor. Despite the minor charge, the department obtained a search warrant to pry into the cell phones and digital cameras of all the arrested individuals. Two years later, authorities have brought no charges and the search warrant materials remain under seal, depriving the public of the ability to assess the conduct of law enforcement’s actions.
California law is clear: “[D]ocuments and records of the court relating to the warrant shall be open to the public as a judicial record,” except in limited circumstances. The First Amendment, the California Constitution, California Rule of Court 2.550(c) and common law all provide that court records are presumptively open. And court records indicate the strict legal requirements to maintain secrecy are not satisfied in this case, the motion states.
Press Release:
- L.A. Sheriff Agrees to Unsealing of Warrant to Search Photojournalist and Black Lives Matters Protestors’ Cell Phones (5/23/2023)
- Media Coalition Asks Court to Unseal Search Warrant Targeting Protesters Kept Under Seal for Two Years (9/19/2022)
Blog: Unsealed: Newly released warrant reveals flimsy basis for L.A. sheriff targeting press, protesters (6/7/2023)
Legal Documents:
- Court Order Granting Motion (11/10/2022)
- Petition for Writ of Mandate (11/1/2022)
- FAC and Knock LA Reply Brief (9/20/2022)
- Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Opposition Brief (9/9/2022)
- Motion to Unseal (8/9/2022)