California journalists condemn police raid on journalist investigating Adachi death – CBS San Francisco



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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – A statement released Sunday by the California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists "condemns the recent raid by freelance journalist Bryan Carmody, in an attempt to make an attempt to identify him. 39, a police report detailing the circumstances of the death of former San Francisco public defender, Jeff Adachi.

"During the search, law enforcement officers seized documents, notes and a multitude of digital devices at Carmody's home and office."

Carmody said on Twitter at 8:27 pm Friday, police and FBI agents raided his home and business to try to convince him to disclose a confidential source.

"I will not do it," Carmody said in the tweet. Carmody's tweet was linked to a report on the raid and the leaked report.

Police said Friday that a search warrant had been served as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into the Adachi police report, allegedly released illegally.

The search was "a step in the process of investigating a potential case of obstructing justice with the illegal distribution of a confidential police report," police said in a statement later. Friday.

"California's shield law protects journalists from contempt for refusing to disclose the identity of their sources and other unpublished / unheard information obtained during the news search process,"

SPJ NorCal's Freedom of Information Committee, noting that the law of his country "provides that no warrant may be issued" for an object protected by the Shield Act.

"The Freedom of Information Committee wants more information about the raid, including why these laws were not respected. The fact that this search was conducted several weeks after Carmody rejected a request by the San Francisco police to disclose his sources shows alarming disregard for the right to gather and report information. "

According to an official of the San Francisco Public Defender's Office at a hearing of the April 18 Board of Supervisors Committee, an independent photographer allegedly provided a television channel with confidential police information about the death of the police. Adachi in exchange for money.

"Journalists must take into account the motivations of anonymous sources and news agencies must disclose content provided by external sources, whether they are paid or not," said the chapter of the SPJ in its statement.

"While there may be legitimate questions about the circumstances surrounding the report of Adachi's death, the seizure of journalist notes or other reporting material creates a dangerous precedent."

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