A coalition of media and free-speech advocates has called on San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow to clarify remarks suggesting journalists could be investigated for their reporting on a sealed search warrant. This development follows the sheriff’s arrest of Pamela Edwards, a former court clerk accused of intentionally releasing the sealed warrant related to an ongoing school board investigation.
The Sheriff’s Office announced it is investigating individuals, including journalists, for their role in obtaining and reporting on the sealed document. Advocacy groups, including the First Amendment Coalition, the NorCal Society of Professional Journalists, and the Pacific Media Workers Guild, sent an open letter to Sheriff Withrow, warning that such actions could have a “chilling effect” on press freedoms.
David Loy, legal director of the First Amendment Coalition, emphasized that journalists have a constitutional right to publish information lawfully obtained, even if it was released improperly. “The government can’t punish the press for publishing information that it receives,” Loy said.
The case began in November 2023, when deputies executed a search warrant on the home of Stockton Unified School District Board member AngelAnn Flores. The warrant, later reported on by The Stockton Record, was allegedly released by Edwards. The Sheriff’s Office later arrested Edwards and indicated that reporters who wrote about the warrant could also be part of a criminal conspiracy investigation.
Media advocates argue this stance threatens press freedom and contradicts state and federal protections for journalists. California’s Shield Laws, among the strongest in the nation, safeguard journalists from being compelled to disclose sources or unpublished material.
The sheriff’s spokesperson clarified that no journalists are currently under investigation but maintained that anyone involved in releasing the sealed warrant could be considered a witness or suspect in the case.
This summary is based on a press release by Cassie Dickman of Stocktonia. For more information, visit the original article at Stocktonia.org.