Judge in Justin Bieber Case Rules Paparazzi Law Unconstitutional
Posted by Jeffrey Harris on 11.14.2012
Could be bad news for celebrities...
TMZ reports that a judge in the car chase case for Justin Bieber has ruled that the California paparazzi law, which prohibits photographers from driving recklessly while trying to shoot pictures of celebrities, is unconstitutional.
A judge was holding a hearing for the chase of the photographer who chased Bieber in July on a freeway in Los Angeles. According to witnesses, the cars were traveling at speeds close to 100 mph.
The judge subsequently tossed out two out of the four criminal counts against photographer Paul Raef. The counts were dropped based on the new paparazzi law. The judge concluded the law was "problematic" and suppressed legitimate activities by the media.
The ruling is said to not have an immediate effect because it was handed down by a trial judge. The Los Angeles City Attorney will appeal the ruling. If the appeals court sides with the trial judge, it could have an impact on how paparazzi are prosecuted.
