Protesters face rare leak charge in Des Moines

[47of74]

Ugh

Prosecutors in Iowa have filed a rarely used leak charge against a Black Lives Matter protester accused of stealing a confidential police document and another who allegedly displayed it during a TV news broadcast.

Alexandria Dea, 26, allegedly took a police intelligence bulletin from the back pocket of a Des Moines Police officer’s pants. Later, Viet Tran, 21, talked about the bulletin and showed it on air during an interview with WOI-TV. The two have been charged with unauthorized dissemination of intelligence data, a felony charge that carries up to five years in prison.

The Iowa Judicial Branch says it’s only the second time the charge has been used since 2010. Des Moines police spokesman Paul Parizek says it’s appropriate given the circumstances of the case. The first page of the four-page document has a notice warning that it should not be shared or released publicly, and that doing so would violate Iowa code.

The document was a bulletin related to protesters who were under investigation for allegedly destroying a police car.

In other words a cop did not take sufficient precautions to protect a confidential document so now prosecutors are covering for him. If I was walking around with something confidential/secret from my work in my back pocket and it was stolen I'd be the one being sent up shit creek without a paddle. I hope this cop is sent for remedial lessons in handling sensitive information.

[NJCher]

1. another problem is this

The Iowa Judicial Branch says it’s only the second time the charge has been used since 2010.

The defendants' lawyers will now look at case law outside the state and probably find this is unconstitutional.

[stopdiggin]

2. confidential documents (or information) are unconstitutional ?

Can appreciate your zeal, but ...

[NJCher]

5. no, the law governing

from the post:

unauthorized dissemination of intelligence data, a felony charge that carries up to five years in prison.

notice warning that it should not be shared or released publicly, and that doing so would violate Iowa code.

[stopdiggin]

6. and I repeat. unconstitutional?

Is the argument that there is no such thing as privileged information at the state level?
So Iowa (or any other state) cannot pass such a law?

[MichMan]

3. So, if someone reaches in my pants and steals my wallet, it is my fault?

for letting it happen?

[47of74]

7. Apples and oranges

People who are authorized to have or use confidential/classified information have an obligation to keep that information safe. It just struck me that the cop didn’t do enough to keep that information safe and that walking around with it in his back pocket was begging for something like this to happen.

[stopdiggin]

8. not exactly like he left it

laying on the lunch counter.

"Covering" for the LE officer is ... kind of a stretch.

On a related front -- IA's Republican dominated statehouse has been at the forefront in "Ag-gag" laws -- repeatedly passing laws aimed at the reporting and recording of "meat industry" practices and abuses. Most of these efforts have been struck down or stayed by the courts -- but they keep trying! All of which is to say that the state is not currently a bastion of a freedom of information or "sunshine" line of thought. So -- prosecuting leakers? Not that far removed from current sentiment.

[3Hotdogs]

4. Based on the little bit of info here, I would find her guilty of theft.

Tran? Not guilty, unless he knew how it was obtained.