First Amendment News

A California appeals court rejected libel claims brought by day laborers who said a Fox News story suggested they were objects of a manhunt. The court ruled that no reasonable viewer would think the broadcast implied that the police were looking for criminals among the day laborers. -DB Metropolitan News-Enterprise May 15, 2009 By Kenneth Ofgang A suit charging Fox News Network with defaming immigrant day laborers in a story about a fight they had

The Milpitas City Council tightened procedures that provide public access to city business, saying that some of the practices did not provide greater access to the public and that changes were needed to save staff time. -DB Milpitas Post May 13, 2009 By Ian Bauer Milpitas City Council unanimously voted April 21 to introduce an amended Open Government Ordinance, which they said is meant to give the public and press transparency to the workings of

When Justice David Souter leaves the bench this summer, his departure is not expected to bring any changes in the policy against broadcasting Supreme Court proceedings. Souter may have been the most outspoken opponent of the broadcasts but not the only justice in opposition. –DB First Amendment Center Analysis May 12, 2009 By Tony Mauro WASHINGTON, D.C. — Supreme Court Justice David Souter’s retirement this summer will remove an obstacle — literally and figuratively —

An Electronic Frontier activist criticizes Apple for refusing to sell iPhone applications it finds objectionable, a practice that denies iPhone users of freedom of choice. -DB Electronic Frontier Foundation May 12, 2009 Commentary By Hugh D’Andrade Two more interesting applications have been blocked by Apple in its quixotic quest to police what users can think and do while using their iPhones. First, we have Me So Holy, an iPhone app that takes a snapshot of

A former Butte County grand juror will stand trial in August on charges of disclosing grand jury secrets. She is accused of giving the media information on her investigation of an excessive force complaint against two police officers. –DB Contra Costa Times May 9, 2009 By Terry Vau Dell OROVILLE, Calif. — Barring an unexpected resolution of the case, a former Butte County grand juror will stand trial in August on charges that she illegally