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Journalist Amy Goodman faces riot charges for oil pipeline protest reporting Judge rejects riot charges for journalist Amy Goodman after oil pipeline protest
(about 2 hours later)
North Dakota prosecutors are seeking “riot” charges against Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman for her reporting on the oil pipeline protests, drawing widespread concerns about press intimidation and free speech violations. A North Dakota judge rejected prosecutors’ “riot” charges against Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman for her reporting on the oil pipeline protests, a decision that advocates hailed as a major victory for freedom of the press.
After the award-winning broadcast journalist filmed security guards working for the Dakota access pipeline using dogs and pepper spray on protesters, authorities issued a warrant for Goodman’s arrest, accusing her of “criminal trespass”. Now, state prosecutors are alleging that she participated in a “riot”, a serious offense that could result in months in jail. After the award-winning broadcast journalist filmed security guards working for the Dakota access pipeline using dogs and pepper spray on protesters, authorities issued a warrant for Goodman’s arrest and alleged that she participated in a “riot”, a serious offense that could result in months in jail.
“I wasn’t trespassing, I wasn’t engaging in a riot, I was doing my job as a journalist by covering a violent attack on Native American protesters,” Goodman said in a statement on Sunday in advance of a Monday court appearance. On Monday, judge John Grinsteiner ruled that the state lacked probable cause for the riot charge, blocking prosecutors from moving forward with the controversial prosecution.
“I feel vindicated. Most importantly, journalism is vindicated,” Goodman told reporters and supporters on a live Facebook video Monday afternoon. “We have a right to report. It’s also critical that we are on the front lines. Today, the judge sided with ... freedom of the press.”
The case stems from a 3 September report when Goodman traveled to the Native American-led protest against a controversial $3.8bn oil pipeline that the Standing Rock Sioux tribe says is threatening its water supply and cultural heritage.The case stems from a 3 September report when Goodman traveled to the Native American-led protest against a controversial $3.8bn oil pipeline that the Standing Rock Sioux tribe says is threatening its water supply and cultural heritage.
Goodman’s dispatch on the use of dogs went viral and has since garnered 14m views on Facebook and also prompted coverage from many news outlets, including CBS, NBC, NPR and CNN.Goodman’s dispatch on the use of dogs went viral and has since garnered 14m views on Facebook and also prompted coverage from many news outlets, including CBS, NBC, NPR and CNN.
Last week, the North Dakota state attorney’s office emailed Goodman’s attorney, admitting that there were “legal issues with proving the notice of trespassing requirements in the statute”, according to Democracy Now! Prosecutors subsequently informed the journalist’s lawyers that the state was instead accusing her of being involved in a riot. The North Dakota state attorney’s office had originally charged the journalist with “criminal trespass”. But last week, prosecutors emailed Goodman’s attorney, admitting that there were “legal issues with proving the notice of trespassing requirements in the statute”, according to Democracy Now! Instead, the state said it would be seeking riot charges.
“Obviously, the charges are ridiculous and baseless,” Reed Brody, one of Goodman’s lawyers, told the Guardian on Monday. “Amy Goodman is not somebody who is intimidated by being prosecuted for her reporting. I think that the authorities are just shooting themselves in the foot by doing this.” “If the prosecutor thought he was going to intimidate Amy, he severely misjudged the situation,” Reed Brody, one of Goodman’s lawyers, told the Guardian after the judge’s decision Monday.
I wasn’t engaging in a riot, I was doing my job … by covering a violent attack on Native American protesters We have a right to report. It’s critical that we are on the front lines. The judge sided with ... freedom of the press
In one email, state’s attorney Ladd Erickson alleged that Goodman “was not acting as a journalist”, according to Democracy Now! However, the original trespassing complaint noted that she is a reporter, with prosecutors writing that Goodman “can be seen on video identifying herself and interviewing protesters”.In one email, state’s attorney Ladd Erickson alleged that Goodman “was not acting as a journalist”, according to Democracy Now! However, the original trespassing complaint noted that she is a reporter, with prosecutors writing that Goodman “can be seen on video identifying herself and interviewing protesters”.
Erickson claimed to the local Bismarck Tribune newspaper that Goodman is a “a protester, basically”, adding, “Everything she reported on was from the position of justifying the protest actions.” Erickson claimed to the local Bismarck Tribune newspaper that Goodman is a “a protester, basically”, adding: “Everything she reported on was from the position of justifying the protest actions.”
Goodman – who has written for the Guardian in the past – is a critically acclaimed progressive host and executive producer of Democracy Now!, a program that airs on more than 1,400 stations across the globe. She has also co-authored six New York Times bestsellers.Goodman – who has written for the Guardian in the past – is a critically acclaimed progressive host and executive producer of Democracy Now!, a program that airs on more than 1,400 stations across the globe. She has also co-authored six New York Times bestsellers.
During the September dispatch, Democracy Now! quoted one protester describing the dogs violently attacking activists: “These people are just threatening all of us with these dogs. And she, that woman over there, she was charging, and it bit somebody right in the face.”During the September dispatch, Democracy Now! quoted one protester describing the dogs violently attacking activists: “These people are just threatening all of us with these dogs. And she, that woman over there, she was charging, and it bit somebody right in the face.”
“The dog has blood in its nose and its mouth,” Goodman said at the time. “Why are you letting their, her dog go after the protesters? It’s covered in blood.”“The dog has blood in its nose and its mouth,” Goodman said at the time. “Why are you letting their, her dog go after the protesters? It’s covered in blood.”
An unprecedented gathering of Native American protesters has emerged over the past month to protest against the pipeline, which is scheduled to transport fracked crude from the Bakken oil field in North Dakota to a refinery near Chicago.An unprecedented gathering of Native American protesters has emerged over the past month to protest against the pipeline, which is scheduled to transport fracked crude from the Bakken oil field in North Dakota to a refinery near Chicago.
Last week, actor Shailene Woodley, star of The Fault In Our Stars and the Divergent series, was arrested alongside 26 other activists at the pipeline protests.Last week, actor Shailene Woodley, star of The Fault In Our Stars and the Divergent series, was arrested alongside 26 other activists at the pipeline protests.
A local judge will decide on Monday whether probable cause exists for the state’s riot claim. Depending on the specific charge, Goodman could face several months or up to a year if convicted, according to Brody. Depending on the specific charge, Goodman could have faced several months or up to a year if convicted, according to Brody.
The riot claim is particularly unusual and disturbing, the lawyer added. The riot claim was particularly unusual and disturbing, the lawyer added.
“I’ve never seen it. This case is a real outlier in general in the United States.”“I’ve never seen it. This case is a real outlier in general in the United States.”
Brody said if the state moves forward, it would mean officials would have to disclose further details about the questionable responses to protesters. Brody said he hoped the state would stop targeting Goodman and other journalists. “He tried one charge. He tried another. At a certain point, I would think it would become too embarrassing for him to pursue these charges.”
“A riot charge would also force the state to talk about what it was doing that day and what the dogs were doing,” he said. “It could really backfire.” The case backfired on prosecutors by prompting many journalists to write about law enforcement’s questionable responses to protesters, he added.
Goodman was not immediately available for comment. “If he thought these charges were going to deflect media attention from the pipeline, then he really blew it.”
The Freedom of the Press Foundation noted that Goodman was arrested in 2008 for covering Minnesota protests at the Republican national convention. She later won $100,000 from the state in a first amendment lawsuit.The Freedom of the Press Foundation noted that Goodman was arrested in 2008 for covering Minnesota protests at the Republican national convention. She later won $100,000 from the state in a first amendment lawsuit.
“We hope and expect similar accountability for the authorities here when the dust clears,” the foundation said in a statement. “But in the meantime, North Dakota should stop embarrassing itself and drop all charges against Amy Goodman, and any other journalist who may be suffering the same fate, immediately.” The foundation slammed the prosecution in a statement before the court appearance: “Not only are they flagrantly violating the constitution, they are giving every two-bit dictator and corrupt police establishment around the world every excuse to point to this episode and arrest journalists abroad, while making a mockery of our own press freedom protections at home.”
Prosecutors did not respond to a request for comment. Prosecutors did not respond to requests for comment.