Countywide : Bill Would Restrict Identifying Jurors

Citing threats against jurors in the aftermath of the Rodney G. King beating verdicts, state Sen. Ed Davis (R-Santa Clarita) announced Thursday a legislative proposal that would make it a crime for newspapers to publish jurors’ names, cities of residence or places of employment without a court’s consent.

Davis said he made the proposal because a Los Angeles County and a Ventura County newspaper printed the names, jobs and cities of residence of the Ventura County jurors who delivered not-guilty verdicts in the trial.

With the rioting and violence that followed the April 29 verdicts, the decision to print the information placed the lives of jurors and their families in jeopardy, said Davis, a former Los Angeles police chief.

The newspapers should be held criminally liable for that decision, Davis said.

“These publications have, with impunity, added the King jurors to the list of prospective victims,” he said.

The proposal would amend Senate Bill 1299, pending legislation sponsored by Davis that also deals with release of juror information, to make it a misdemeanor to publish “information with which the average person could locate a juror,” according to a news release from Davis’ Sacramento office.

A Sacramento legislative consultant for the American Civil Liberties Union said Davis’ proposed bill stands little chance of success because it flies in the face of the First Amendment.

That amendment guarantees the press freedom to publish public information without prior consent, said Margaret Pena.

“The press has got to be free to publish and report whatever it is that they deem newsworthy,” Pena said.

“The Legislature should not be in the business of determining in all instances that something is a crime to publish.”