CNet: Journalist Shield Law May Not Halt iPhone Probe

Declan McCullagh and Greg Sandoval:

Eugene Volokh, a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles who teaches First Amendment law, says that court decision — the case is called Rosato v. Superior Court (PDF) — means that California’s state shield law “wouldn’t apply to subpoenas or searches for evidence of such criminal activity.”

Translated: If Gizmodo editors are, in fact, a target of a criminal probe into the possession or purchase of stolen property, the search warrant served on editor Jason Chen on Friday appears valid.

★ Tuesday, 27 April 2010