Entertainment, TV, Celebrity, Culture

Follow @2Paragraphs
  • Daily Edition
    • Joe_BidenBiden Trolls Kevin McCarthy For Keeping GOP Plan Secret
    • Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez Rips Kevin McCarthy’s “Problem of Greed”
    • Mitt RomneyMitt Romney Slams Biden’s $400 Billion “Scheme” For Loans
  • Business
    • Sen. Elizabeth WarrenSen. Elizabeth Warren Laughs at Bank CEOs Doing Their Own Stress Tests
    • Randi ZuckerbergRandi Zuckerberg Sarcastically Mocks Crypto Boys Club
    • Daymond JohnDaymond John Drops Elon Musk Icebreaker on Twitter, ‘Money v. Meeting’
  • Culture
    • juliette lewisJuliette Lewis Flexes in Bodysuit with Muscle Car, ‘Like a Lover’
    • Julia Louis-DreyfusJulia Louis-Dreyfus Gets Schooled by Jane Fonda Before Marvel’s Thunderbolts
    • Bethenny Frankel, Season 8, RHONYCBethenny Frankel Drops Pants, Compares Butts With Kelly Ripa
  • Sports
    • Sergio GarciaSergio Garcia’s Wife Flaunts Legs in Tiny Cutout Mini Dress, ‘Supermodel’
    • Naomi Osaka, US Open 2020Naomi Osaka Flaunts Bare Belly in Crop Top, Reveals Victoria’s Secret Collab
    • Gov Greg AbbottTexas Gov. Greg Abbott Picks Alabama Over Houston, Fails Politics 101
  • Food
    • Jennifer GarnerJennifer Garner Reveals Her Favorite ‘Dry January’ Treat at Home
    • Dark ChocolateAre Dark Chocolate Fears Overblown? Cadmium, California, and “Ouch, Ouch” Disease
    • Wendy's restaurantWendy’s New Riddle Stumps Social Media — “Chili in Philly?”
  • Interviews
    • Cranberries_in_a_bucketDo Cranberries Really Help UTI? A Doctor Answers With New Evidence
    • Lauren Lovett The Speech Ring InventorVideo: The Speech Ring Inventor on Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking
    • Surge first out gay superhero in the moviesFirst Out Gay Movie Superhero Surge Speaks on Humor, Responsibility
  • Cool Stuff
    • Ice-T on LAW & ORDER: SVU (Virginia Sherwood/NBC)Ice-T’s Wife Flaunts Brand New Range Rover With Front Seat Refrigerator
    • Bergdorf Goodman 5th Avenue store in NYCChristian Louboutin Reveals 3.5″ Spring Mules With ‘Vibrant Red’ Nail Polish
    • Cardi_BCardi B Says She Hit Jackpot With $30,000 Chanel Slot Machine Bag
  • Contact
  • Privacy

Zumba Hooker Scandal: Publishing the Names of Johns?

by Michael J. Racette in Law | October 19, 2012

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • More
  • Linkedin
  • Reddit
  • Email

The Police Department of the small seaside town of Kennebunk, Maine has begun releasing the names of men it has charged with the misdemeanor crime of engaging in prostitution with a local Zumba instructor, Alexis Wright. Is it fair to release them? Other municipalities across the nation regularly publish the names of men and women facing criminal charges and even publish their mug shots—partially in an effort to dissuade future lawbreakers and also enlist the public’s assistance in identifying fugitives. Proponents of the release of the Kennebunk names claim that suppression of the names would amount to a double standard for men and women charged in sex crimes. Ms. Wright, who faces criminal prosecution for prostitution and other charges, previously had her name revealed, apparently without any similar debate. Opponents argue that publication of the names would cause reputational harm that cannot be repaired even if the charges are later dropped or if the men prevail at trial. Charged with larceny and fraud in connection to a NYC construction project that benefited a construction company partially owned by him, Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of Labor, Ray Donovan, resigned from his Cabinet position.  After the jury later acquitted him of all charges, he famously asked, “Which office do I go to get my reputation back?”

Setting aside serious concerns about the reputational harm that might befall an innocent unconnected citizen who happens to share the same name as one of the listed men, or the fact that some of the charged men might also be victims of invasion of privacy (Ms. Wright allegedly secretly videotaped some of the workout sessions at issue), this debate implicates a number of different legal rights and principles. The federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and similar state public records laws permit citizens, including press organizations, access to booking records (but federal Circuit Courts are divided on the issue of whether mug shots must be released under the FOIA). And while the First Amendment permits media outlets to publish such information in its original form, it might not insulate them from defamation lawsuits if they incorrectly report any of the information. Many local newspapers contain a “police blotter” column reporting arrests for a variety of crimes—not just the salacious ones. An attorney for two of the Kennebunk men, on the other hand, unsuccessfully argued that the adverse publicity associated with the publication would unfairly taint the jury pool at his client’s eventual trials, violating their Sixth Amendment right to a trial “by an impartial jury” and their Fourteenth Amendment guarantee of “due process.” Though many wrongly (or at least unsuccessfully) prosecuted citizens surely suffer real harm when their arrest records are published, it is difficult to justify the suppression of some but not all the names of adult defendants charged with crimes.  // Michael Racette

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • More
  • Linkedin
  • Reddit
  • Email

Rights Watch: Tweeter’s IP, Words and Whereabouts Turned Over to Government

Tweeting Protester's Twitter Avatar

Load More

  • Recent
  • Trending
  • Popular
  • Waiters Get Back $500K Tips From Greedy NYC Restaurant
  • Supreme Court Saves SCOTUScare, Scalia Regrets
  • Justice Clarence Thomas Sides With Liberals On Free Speech
  • Uber Just Unwillingly Hired All Its California Drivers
  • Supreme Court Lets Eminem Style Off The Hook
2paragraphs on APPLE NEWS | 2paragraphs Amazon Shop | SEE MORE 2paragraphs ARTICLES
  • About 2paragraphs
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Dedication
  • Map
  • Fresh
  • Law
  • How-To
  • Personal
  • Books

© 2012-2023, 2paragraphs Productions, LLC

  • Buffer
  • Diggit
  • Email
  • More
  • Facebook
  • Flattr
  • Google+
  • Linkedin
  • Pinterest
  • Print
  • Reddit
  • Stumble
  • tumblr
  • Twitter
  • VK
  • WhatsApp
  • Yummly
  • Xing