Let’s See If California Decides We Have the Right to Know Which Cops Shoot People

A Los Angeles Times
reporter wanted to know the names of the officers who shot Long
Beach man Douglas Zerby to death in 2010 for the deadly crime of
holding a garden hose nozzle. Long Beach officials refused to tell
him, nor provide the names of any Long Beach officers involved in
shootings for the previous five years.

The Long Beach police officer’s union has been fighting to keep
the secret and has been losing in court. Today, the Los Angeles
Times reports the case making it all the way to California’s
Supreme Court. The Times seems to think
they might win this one:

The California Supreme Court appeared inclined during a hearing
Tuesday to favor a ruling that the public has the right to know the
names of police officers involved in shootings.

During oral arguments, most members of the state high court
seemed skeptical of contentions by police agencies that officer
names must be kept secret because disclosure could jeopardize
officer safety and involve protected police personnel matters.

Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, whose husband is a retired
police lieutenant, suggested that the California Public Records Act
contains a presumption in favor of disclosure and does not provide
for blanket exemptions.

Justice Marvin R. Baxter questioned whether police agencies
would refuse to release the names of officers involved in acts of
heroism.

And Justice Goodwin Liu noted that officers wear nameplates
identifying them to the public.

The officers were cleared of misconduct, but the city was still
ordered to
pay $6.5 million to the victim’s family following a federal
lawsuit where the jury determined the officers were negligent and
violated Zerby’s rights.