… keep the video but cut the sound.
No Deal, says Jean. We’ll meet you in court.
Ms. Jeanâs lawyer, Daniel J. Shea of Houston, wants the federal court to rule that the state law in question is unconstitutional as it would apply to Ms. Jean. Mr. Shea said publication of the video served the public interest by revealing that state police did not show a warrant before searching Mr. Pechonisâ home. He believes the case could establish a precedent.
Recapping the previous proceedings reporter Richard Nangle wrote:
In court Feb. 17, federal Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV cited Bartnicki v. Vopper, a 2001 decision in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, based in part on the landmark Pentagon Papers case, âSimply put, the issue here is this: Where the publisher of information has obtained the information in question in a manner lawful in itself but from a source who has obtained it unlawfully, may the government punish the ensuing publication of that information.â
It continues, â … privacy concerns give way when balanced against the interest in publishing matters of public importance.â
Nangle obviously has got his teeth into the story. It will be fascinating to see what he comes up with from the hearing itself.
