Today the chapter sent a letter to the Santa Cruz DA stating we are “deeply concerned by your office’s decision to prosecute Bradley Stuart Allen, a longtime San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center (Indybay) contributor, as well as by assertions from your office that: (1) a reporter may be prosecuted for conspiracy simply by providing coverage of a newsworthy event and (2) Indybay is not a bona fide news organization.” Mr. Allen was charged with conspiracy on the grounds that by covering the demonstration late last year, he was acting in concert with the protesters. He was also charged with vandalism and trespassing.
“The conspiracy charge sets a dangerous precedent and would severely hamper the public’s right to obtain information about highly newsworthy public events in which criminal activity may be occurring,” the SPJ letter states.
Last week, a judge dismissed the felony vandalism charge, but did not dismiss the felony conspiracy and two misdemeanor trespassing charges against Allen.
Additionally, the letter states that, “it is wholly inappropriate, and indeed unconstitutional, for a public prosecutor to single out representatives of a disfavored news organization for prosecution. That a photojournalist from The Santa Cruz Sentinel was able to enter the occupied building and report from it without also being subjected to charges brings this abuse into even sharper relief” and strongly urged the DA ”to reconsider whether to proceed with this aggressive and dangerous targeting of the independent press.”
Allen’s next court appearance is scheduled for March 29.
Read the letter.
