Colorado blogger settles free speech lawsuit for almost half million dollars

A former University of Northern Colorado student received a $425,000 judgment against a county prosecutor who authorized a criminal libel investigation on writings he published on a satirical website critical of university administrators and a professor. The police got a search warrant through the prosecutor and invaded the student’s home. -db The Denver Post, December [...]

County withdraws search warrant used to search house of Gizmodo editor

In a dispute over the iPhone prototype, law enforcement has withdrawn a search warrant and Gizmodo has agreed to provide specific information over how they obtained the prototype without Apple’s permission. -db County withdraws search warrant used to search house of Gizmodo editor http://www.rcfp.org/newsitems/index.php?i=11495 Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press July 22, 2010 By [...]

Judge defers on media request to unseal search warrant affidavit in flap over iPhone

A San Mateo County judge declined to decide a request by news organizations to unseal a search warrant affidavit to learn the justification for a police search of a Gizmodo eitor’s home for records about how he obtained an iPhone prototype. Judge indicates case should be heard by judge who OK’s warrant-db CNET News May [...]

AP, Bloomberg, CNET, Wired.com, LA Times, CNPA join FAC motion in lost-iPhone case

FAC–The First Amendment Coalition and major news media have requested the California Court presiding over the Gizmodo/missing iPhone matter to unseal judicial records relating to the warrant issued for the search of an online journalist’s home and the seizure of his computer, hard drives and other digital files. The motion to unseal the warrant affidavit [...]

Entertainment news editor protests LA sheriff’s search of his personal phone records

A Los Angeles editor of TMZ, an online entertainment news outlet, alleged that the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for his personal phone records because TMZ had reported that Mel Gibson resisted arrest in 2006, a detail that the editor said the sheriff’s department tried to cover up. -DB LA Observed October [...]