‘Outrageous’ handcuffing of New Orleans journalist sends ‘chilling message,’ says media group

Danny Monteverde had been protesting the closure of a courtroom during indictment of state attorney general

The “outrageous” handcuffing of a New Orleans journalist covering the indictment in July of Louisiana’s attorney general – a case that ultimately was dismissed – conveyed “a chilling message to members of the press and the public” for which there is no excuse, according to a prominent media rights advocacy organization.

An attorney for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP) made those assertions in a recent letter to the New Orleans criminal district courthouse where deputies temporarily detained WWL Louisiana investigative producer Danny Monteverde and outlet lawyer Elana Beiser in the course of their duties in early July.

Beiser and Monteverde, whose station is a Guardian reporting partner, were trying to object to judge Leon Roche’s closure of the courtroom where a grand jury had handed up an indictment against state attorney general, Liz Murrill, on accusations that she had threatened the jobs of Democratic New Orleans officials who fought a Republican-led overhaul. A 5 August letter from RCFP attorney Virginia Hamrick to New Orleans criminal court chief judge contended that there were “no findings justifying closure” and urged the courthouse to “properly hear and consider objections of the public and the press before any … proceedings are closed”.

“Refrain from detaining reporters (or their counsel) who are simply exercising their constitutional rights,” which include the access to court proceedings, Hamrick’s letter continued. The missive added that such “outrageous actions send a chilling message to members of the press and the public who may seek to object to closure in the future”.

“Members of the public – including journalists – should not fear being hauled away in handcuffs merely for asserting these basic rights,” Hamrick went on, saying open access to court proceedings “informs the public, ensures an accurate portrayal of proceedings and promotes government accountability”.

The letter alluded to arguments from Roche that he closed the courtroom where the indictment had been handed up – and outside which Monteverde and Beiser were handcuffed – in order “to protect grand jurors’ safety and anonymity”.

“But such concerns do not warrant the closure of a courtroom without hearing objections to such closure,” Hamrick’s letter said.