A Texas court has ruled a citizen journalist can sue a county sheriff. Justin Pulliam was shut out of a press conference in July 2021 while being told he wasn’t the local media.
Pulliam has an investigative YouTube channel called Corruption Report. The page is described as “confronting tyranny to protect our individual rights and improve the human condition.”
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In the July incident, Pulliam went to a public park to cover a statement from Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan after human remains were found there. Sheriff Fagan approached Pulliam and told him to leave.
After that interaction, Sheriff Fagan told a deputy to keep Pulliam away from the scene and said to arrest him if he didn’t comply. The court found that Pulliam’s free speech rights were violated in the incident.
Pulliam provided the following statement to Straight Arrow News, “This victory shows how important the First Amendment is to protect independent reporters like me who use social media to provide on-scene, often critical coverage, of the police. Shooting the messenger is no longer an option when they don’t like how they look online.”
Karah Rucker
A TEXAS COURT HAS RULED A CITIZEN JOURNALIST CAN SUE A COUNTY SHERIFF … AFTER GETTING SHUT OUT OF A PRESS CONFERENCE WHILE BEING TOLD HE WASN’T THE LOCAL MEDIA.
JUSTIN PULLIAM HAS AN INVESTIGATIVE YOUTUBE CHANNEL CALLED “CORRUPTION REPORT.”
HIS PAGE IS DESCRIBED AS “CONFRONTING TYRANNY TO PROTECT OUR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND IMPROVE THE HUMAN CONDITION.”
IN JULY 20-21 PULLIAM WENT TO A PUBLIC PARK TO COVER A STATEMENT FROM FORT BEND COUNTY SHERIFF ERIC FAGAN AFTER HUMAN REMAINS WERE FOUND THERE.
THAT’S WHEN SHERIFF FAGAN APPROACHED PULLIAM AND TOLD HIM TO LEAVE.
where should we park … wherever you can find a legal parking spot … that’s where you can park … pause … go ahead and start walking.
AFTER THAT INTERACTION, SHERIFF FAGAN TOLD A DEPUTY TO KEEP PULLIAM AWAY FROM THE SCENE AND SAID TO ARREST HIM IF HE DIDN’T COMPLY.
you are not media so at the Sheriff’s request can you step back with us please 2:072:38 You’re more than happy to film right here if you just stay back here that’d be great.. I appreciate you. You’re a joke man so I can be right here.. Ok he won’t tell me.. This is the game it comes straight from the top guys straight from the top.
THE COURT FOUND THAT PULLIAM’S FREE-SPEECH RIGHTS WERE VIOLATED IN THE INCIDENT.
PULLIAM PROVIDED THIS STATEMENT TO STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS …
“THIS VICTORY SHOWS HOW IMPORTANT THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS TO PROTECT INDEPENDENT REPORTERS LIKE ME WHO USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO PROVIDE ON-SCENE, OFTEN CRITICAL COVERAGE, OF THE POLICE. SHOOTING THE MESSENGER IS NO LONGER AN OPTION WHEN THEY DON’T LIKE HOW THEY LOOK ONLINE.”
FOR SAN I’M … KARAH RUCKER.
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