Media Law Essay 2.docx - Media Law Week Two Essay Fact...

Media Law
Week Two Essay
Fact Pattern:
Following in the shadows of Alabama, Georgia and Missouri, Arizona state lawmakers pass a
new state law that greatly restricts abortion rights. The law is immediately challenged in federal
court, as an unconstitutional restriction on a woman’s right to choose.
The day of the first court hearing, Pamela Protester shows up with a group of women’s rights
advocates in front of the Sandra Day O’Connor Federal Courthouse in downtown Phoenix. They
begin walking, chanting and holding up signs on the public sidewalk in front of the courthouse.
Larry Lawman is the Phoenix Police chief. He doesn’t like Pamela. He doesn’t like protesters.
And he sure doesn’t like abortions. Larry sends a police squad downtown to break up the protest.
“Arrest them for trespassing!,” he shouts as the officers leave the police headquarters.
They arrive at the courthouse and do just that. As they escort Pamela into a squad car, she yells,
“Ladies, when we get sprung, let’s get back at these dirty cops!”
Meantime, Robby Reporter gets a news tip that something is about to happen downtown. He
shows up just in time to photograph the ruckus. One of the other protesters hands Robby a note
that reads, “Chief Lawman. Birmingham. 1972.”
Robby goes back to the newsroom of the Phoenix New World and does some research. He tracks
down a police report from 1972, which states that a young Larry Lawman was arrested for
blowing up an abortion clinic in Birmingham, Alabama. He confirms it is, in fact, the same Larry
Lawman through the date of birth and social security number on the police report. Robby does
not notice that the final page of the report indicates that Lawman was later cleared of any
involvement in the bombing.
Robby confronts Chief Lawman about his findings, and Lawman says, “That’s old news. I never
did any of that,” then walks away.