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Reality show sued for portraying prisoner’s wife in false light

donal brown August 4, 2011

A federal judge ruled that a wife of an inmate could sue a reality show for defamation after film taken of her without permission while she was visiting her husband portrayed her smuggling drugs into the Tennessee prison.The narrator for the reality show soon reported that a guard had smuggled the drugs not the wife. In spite of the vindication, the judge said that the way the show was presented could lead a viewer to

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Court rules no contempt in CIA destruction of video of interrogations

donal brown August 4, 2011

A federal judge criticized the CIA for ignoring a court order asking the agency to preserve videos of interrogations but did not hold it in contempt. The American Civil Liberties Union had brought the contempt motion in ACLU v. Department of Defense, a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit begun in 2004. An ACLU spokesperson said, “Yet again, the CIA will get away with denying the public of the best evidence of torture.” -db From The

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California: Atascadero City Council stops responding to public during open comment session

donal brown August 4, 2011

The Atascadero City Council has decided without public notice or discussion to halt give-and-take during the public comment session of council meetings, says David Broadwater, a local activist. In an opinion piece in the Cal Coast News, Broadwater writes, “Previously, under the Brown Act, in response to questions and matters raised regarding non-agenda issues, the public could expect those assembled officials may ask to clarify a question, direct people to information, briefly discuss matters raised,

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A&A: Accessing public employee timesheets

FAC August 4, 2011

Q: I am seeking to obtain the time sheets (dates and hours worked) of a particular part-time city administrator. Are  time sheets public records that can be accessed to the extent that only the days worked are being requested, (NOT the days absent, days off, vacation/sick time)? A: Under the PRA, “any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless

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A&A: Request for advisory committee’s documents denied

FAC August 3, 2011

Q: I want to get copies of documents from a local planning group (elected advisory body under the City’s Dept. of Planning and Land Use). The chair of the committee has sent members an email  explaining that they should each bring the documents they possess for me to read while the meeting is in session, but claiming copies needn’t be provided.  What do I do? A: As it sounds like you are aware, under the

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