Journalists aren't the only ones with the right to film police, Adam Rose told the LA Times. The First Amendment protects everyone — including cop watchers like Carlitos Ricardo Parias, who documented immigration raids and is now in federal custody.
Yes, deleting those texts was a crime but this kind of reminds us of getting Al Capone for tax evasion. The former police chief has done a lot worse, like illegally raiding a newspaper publisher’s home, likely resulting in Joan Meyer’s death. https://kansasreflector.com/2025/10/15/judge-orders-ex-police-chief-who-led-raid-on-kansas-newspaper-to-stand-trial-for-deleted-texts/
Excessive government secrecy literally makes you sick. Great FOIA reporting from ProPublica.