Memphis police sue for blogger's name

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24 July 2008

The Memphis Police Department is suing AOL to find out the name of anonymous bloggers on the MPD Enforcer 2.0 blog that has been reporting on corruption in the department.

Contents

Lawsuit

Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin and the city of Memphis have filed a lawsuit to learn who operates a blog harshly critical of Godwin and his department.[1] Many of the documents in the case, filed in Chancery Court on July 10, have been sealed by Chancellor Kenny Armstrong.

The lawsuit asks AOL to produce all information related to the identity of an e-mail address linked to MPD Enforcer 2.0.[2] The blog has proven to be popular amongst police officers and residents in Memphis.

"In what could be a landmark case of privacy and the 1st Amendment," the anonymous bloggers write on the site, "Godwin has illegally used his position and the City of Memphis as a ram to ruin the Constitution of the United States."[3] Shortly after, the blog began speaking with the ACLU and hired lawyers from Public Citizen to represent them.[4]

Criticism of lawsuit

The lawsuit has received criticism by privacy rights groups and by those who are mad that taxpayer dollars are funding the lawsuit.[5]

External Links

References

  1. ↑ Commercial Appeal, Police director sues for critical bloggers' names, July 22, 2008
  2. ↑ City of Memphis and Larry A. Godwin vs. Jon and/or Jane Doe 1/30, aka Dirk Diggler ex MPD"; "Nico3974"; and nico3974@aim.com. In the Chancery Court of Tennessee for the Thirtieth Judicial District of Memphis Civil Action No. CH-08-0965-3
  3. ↑ MPD Enforcer 2.0, Larry subpoena's AOL, July 21, 2008
  4. ↑ MPD Enforcer 2.0, Enforcer has selected Washington DC, July 23, 2008
  5. ↑ Slashdot, Police Director Sues AOL For Critical Blogger's Name, July 24, 2008
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