最新杏吧原创

Johnson owns the across the square. It鈥檚 an event and catering venue. A former television reporter, Johnson鈥檚 old instincts kicked in. She took out her phone and started recording.

There were several phones taking video that day, Sept. 7, in front of the courthouse. A group of First Amendment advocates and citizen journalists had gathered on the public sidewalk to protest an order signed by Presiding Circuit Court Judge Steven Privette. The order, issued by Privette in May, prohibited the recording of anybody entering or exiting the courthouse, even from public property, like the sidewalk or street.

Regular readers of my column will remember Privette as the judge from southern Missouri who was recently asked to explain himself by the Missouri Court of Appeals for trying to hold Howell County Circuit Court Betty Grooms in criminal contempt of court. He claims she failed to provide him a spreadsheet outlining the various court costs owed by defendants.

Privette鈥檚 wife lost an election to Grooms, and the judge declined to recuse himself from the case. This week, the Court of Appeals allowed the contempt proceedings to proceed, though Grooms鈥� attorney will likely appeal whatever decision Privette reaches in the dispute.

Howell County has had a proliferation of citizen journalists live-streaming interactions with law enforcement and other officials 鈥� not much different than what happens in the 最新杏吧原创 region. Those folks didn鈥檛 take too kindly to being told they couldn鈥檛 stand on a public sidewalk taking video outside a public building. The First Amendment advocates were told by Howell County sheriff鈥檚 deputies that if they didn鈥檛 stop recording, they鈥檇 be hauled before Privette on contempt charges.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 do that,鈥� said Randle Daily, who posts videos on YouTube under the name . 鈥淚f we鈥檙e on a public sidewalk, that鈥檚 our First Amendment right.鈥�

Shortly after Johnson arrived, Daily and another person were handcuffed and taken into court. She was dumbfounded.

鈥淭he whole thing was bizarre,鈥� Johnson says. 鈥淭his can鈥檛 actually be happening in 2022.鈥�

But it is, and in a rural area like Howell County, residents often feel helpless when they confront a judge, sheriff or other powerful local official. To take on such battles, they often turn to outside sources for help, like attorneys or journalists from out of town.

In the courtroom, Privette told the folks hauled into court that his powers extended beyond the courthouse steps.

鈥淵ou could use a telescope and take (photos or videos) from a mile away and you would be in contempt of this court鈥檚 order,鈥� the judge said, according to .

Daily and his fellow travelers weren鈥檛 about to back down.

鈥淗e thinks he鈥檚 King George,鈥� Daily says of Privette. 鈥淗e thinks he鈥檚 above the law.鈥�

After leaving the courtroom, they went to talk to 鈥渢he law鈥� 鈥� Sheriff Brent Campbell 鈥� and suggested he shouldn鈥檛 let his deputies be used by Privette in an unconstitutional ploy. They created a community and social media stink.

George Sholtz, the station manager at Big Country 99, got involved. He started talking about the dispute on the radio and filed a Sunshine Law request for documents related to Privette鈥檚 order.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 tolerate a local public official trying to violate the Constitution and take away our civil rights,鈥� Sholtz told me.

Campbell, apparently, agreed. On Sept. 16, the sheriff issued a statement on Facebook saying that he was taking over courthouse security. That day, Privette rescinded his order.

鈥淎t the request of the Howell County Sheriff all orders regarding filming in and around the Howell County Courthouse are withdrawn,鈥� says the new order, posted to the door on the front of the courthouse.

The citizen protesters stood their ground and won.

鈥淲e got change done,鈥� Daily says. 鈥淲e the people helped make the change. It was voices, man. It was voices.鈥�