State v. Labrada

13 Fla. Supp. 2d 111
CourtCircuit Court for the Judicial Circuits of Florida
DecidedJuly 19, 1985
DocketCase No. 85-3289
StatusPublished

This text of 13 Fla. Supp. 2d 111 (State v. Labrada) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Circuit Court for the Judicial Circuits of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Labrada, 13 Fla. Supp. 2d 111 (Fla. Super. Ct. 1985).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

PHILIP BLOOM, Circuit Judge.

This cause duly came before the Court on the Motion to Quash Subpoenas Duces Tecum for Deposition, made in behalf of Victoria Corderi, Jeff King in Miami. The subpoenas were served by Defendants in this felony case seeking the testimony and television footage obtained by the TV reporters at the time the police were executing a search [112]*112warrant directed to alleged lottery and numbers paraphernalia. The Defendants have moved for enforcement of those subpoenas.

The subpoenas served upon the TV reporters ordered them to appear to give testimony at deposition and to bring with them “Any and all notes, memoranda, reports, records, photographs, and any other documents, etc. pertaining to the above case.” During the course of the proceedings, the Defendants refined their position as to the items requested and the Court will deal with those items as redefined.

The Proceedings to Date

The Defendants in this case were charged by way of a felony Information in three (3) Counts which allege unlawfully, feloniously and knowingly aiding or assisting in the setting up and conducting of lotteries including the use and possession of lottery tickets and other paraphernalia. The Defendants have taken numerous depositions of police officers engaged in the lottery surveillance or in the execution of the search warrant. Those depositions were taken prior to the serving of those subpoenas here at issue.

The Defendants raise a defense to the Information that the items seized and the statements obtained in the home of Defendant Camejo at the time the search warrant was executed, were illegally obtained in violation of the rights of the Defendants guaranteed to them by the Constitution of the United States and by the Constitution of the State of Florida. More specifically, the Defendants contend that the police made an unlawful forcible entry into their residence by the use of a sledgehammer, and the items seized are being used as evidence against the Defendants.

The Facts

The facts to which there is no substantial disagreement are as contained in the papers before the Court on these Motions, are from the file of this cause, and from the oral arguments of counsel in Open Court.

The facts here are somewhat unique. The TV reporters accompanied or met the police just prior to the execution of the search warrant against a private dwelling. This meeting was at the previous specific request of the TV station; and, therefore, the TV reporters were able to witness, observe, and film the actual events of the “raid” as they occurred, commencing from the positioning of the police, to the execution of the warrant at the door of the dwelling, to the interrogation of Defendants or witnesses at the scene.

Apparently Metro Dade Police officers conducted surveillance of the [113]*113Defendants for at least nine (9) months prior to the arrests being made. The TV reporters played no role in that surveillance. In late 1984, representatives of the TV station asked the Metro Dade Police Department for permission to accompany police on raids for the purpose of producing a television series on criminal activity among Hispanic citizens.

For several weeks prior to this raid, TV reporter Corderi conducted research for a special five-part news series which examined the role of Hispanics in wide-ranging aspects of organized crime in South Florida and elsewhere in the United States. The series, entitled “Los Criminales: The New Mob,” was broadcast on the TV station’s news program during March, 1985. One episode of the multi-part series reported on illegal lotteries and sports betting in South Florida.

On February 5, 1985, Metro Dade Police obtained a search warrant for the residence of the Defendant Camejo in Dade County, Florida. The police, pursuant to the previous request of the TV station, invited the TV reporters to meet them for the execution of the search warrant at the Camejo residence, which address the police apparently gave to the TV reporters. The police then met with the TV reporters in the vicinity of the Camejo house. The TV reporters were permitted to surveil and possibly film Camejo’s house from a position within a police surveillance van parked nearby although the latter statement may be in dispute.

As the police prepared to execute the warrant on the Camejo house, the TV reporters were permitted to accompany members of the lottery squad and S.W.A.T. team members as they approached the residence. Apparently, the TV reporters were able to begin filming the events before an entry of Defendant Camejo’s home was effected by the police through the use of a sledgehammer on the front door.

Information and photographs gathered by the TV reporters during the police operations on February 5 were included in a TV episode to supplement other material. Videotape copies of those episodes in the series which contained photographs taken at the time of the raid operation here relevant have been previously furnished to the subpoenaing parties.

The Issue

At issue here is whether the “outtakes,” i.e., those portions of the film clips not used or exhibited to the public should be required to be produced by the TV reporters to the Defendants for use in defense of the felony charges against them, more specifically, to the defense of an alleged unlawful forcible entry into Defendant Camejo’s residence.

[114]*114 The Law

The parties appear to agree on the status of the applicable law, but disagree as to whether the requisite showing has been made by the Defendants to overcome the qualified privilege of freedom of the press which exists as to reporters.

This case is not one which deals with confidential informants or sources. Constitutional rights to reporters of freedom of the press conferred by the First Amendment, and those rights guaranteed to all persons under the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments.

The Motions now before the Court focus on the ability of an accused to defend himself against criminal felony charges by obtaining from TV reporters existing information which was made available to them solely as a result of a search warrant issued to the police directed to a private dwelling, which information would not otherwise have been available to the TV reporters.

The Court refers to United States v. Criden, 663 F.2d 346 (CA3 1980) which highlights the type of situation now before this court:

“[I]n Riley v. City of Chester, 612 F.2d 708 (3d Cir. 1979) a civil case, we emphasized that special circumstances exist in a criminal case that must be considered in evaluating a witness’ claim of journalists’ privilege. Specifically, the trial court must consider whether the reporter is alleged to possess evidence relevant to the criminal proceeding and the effect of disclosure on two important constitutionally based concerns: the journalist’s privilege not to disclose confidential sources and the constitutional right of a criminal defendant to every reasonable opportunity to develop and uncover exculpatory information 612 F.2d at 716.” (at p. 348)
“We must emphasize at the outset that this case does not implicate only the first amendment.

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Related

Johnson v. United States
333 U.S. 10 (Supreme Court, 1948)
Branzburg v. Hayes
408 U.S. 665 (Supreme Court, 1972)
Tribune Company v. Green
440 So. 2d 484 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1983)
Riley v. City of Chester
612 F.2d 708 (Third Circuit, 1979)
Graziano v. General Dynamics Corp.
663 F.2d 340 (First Circuit, 1981)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
13 Fla. Supp. 2d 111, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-labrada-flacirct-1985.