Critics of a new Louisiana law, which makes it a crime to approach within 25 feet (7.6 meters) of a police officer under certain circumstances, fear that the measure could hinder the public’s ability to film officers — a tool that has increasingly been used to hold police accountable.
Under the law, anyone who is convicted of “knowingly or intentionally” approaching an officer, who is “lawfully engaged in the execution of his official duties,” and after being ordered to “stop approaching or retreat” faces up to a $500 fine, up to 60 days in jail or both. The law was signed by Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, Tuesday and goes into effect Aug. 1.
I don’t suppose the law will actually go into effect August 1st. We already have cases like Turner v Driver that have clearly established the right to record officers in the performance of their duties. So then this law would need to be narrowly tailored to infringe upon 1A as minimally as necessary, and it doesn’t.
After what happened in arizona, I think the governor is just wasting everyone’s time, or perhaps he’s trying to take advantage of the crazy results that come out of the appeals courts down there. But on issues like this, the courts have not been on the side of the pigs.