Police chief sends sergeant to reporter’s home after midnight to demand article revision

Oakland Tribune
The Berkeley, Calif., police chief apologized Friday after sending a sergeant to the home of newspaper reporter Doug Oakley at 12:45 a.m. to insist on changes to a story posted earlier in the evening. Jim Ewert, general counsel of the California Newspaper Publisher’s Association, told the Tribune the chief’s actions were “totally despicable” and “the most intimidating type of (censorship) possible because the person trying to exercise it carries a gun.” Chief Michael Meehan later apologized to the paper: “I would say it was an overzealous attempt to make sure that accurate information is put out.” || Earlier: Baltimore police use loophole to threaten man with arrest for videotaping them (Poynter) | Memphis police delete journalist’s cell phone pictures (ABC 24).