Akron prosecutors retreat from move that would hush reporter covering body slam case
A reporter for the news website Signal Akron has been removed from a witness list after city prosecutors initially named him as a witness for the Akron Municipal Court trial of a woman who was body-slammed by an Akron police officer in January during a domestic incident call.
Signal reported Tuesday that Doug Brown, who first reported about the incident in a story published April 12, was named on a proposed list filed April 16 but was removed in an amended list filed Tuesday, according to the court docket.
Court documents showed that prosecutors initially listed Brown as a witness. A gag order requested by prosecutors could have kept him and other witnesses from commenting on the case. For Brown, the order would have also kept him from reporting on the case.
"City of Akron prosecutors attempted to ban me from reporting on the body slam, arrest, and prosecution" of the woman, Brown wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "They placed me on their witness list and filed a motion to ban witnesses from commenting publicly about the case."
The woman has been charged with one count each of resisting arrest and obstructing official business, both misdemeanors.
Akron's independent police auditor, Anthony Finnell, last week challenged the results of an internal police investigation of use of force in the incident. Finnell concluded the use of force "was just over the top” when officers were called to a home where family members were arguing.
Dismay over how the Akron Police Department and the city have handled the case drove some residents to speak out at Monday's Akron City Council meeting and demonstrate outside the Municipal Building after a tense public comment period led to an abrupt recess.
"The fact that prosecutors put Doug, Signal Akron's government reporter, on a witness list and also asked the judge in the [body slam] case to approve a gag order that bars witnesses from speaking, is an obvious infringement of his First Amendment rights and should never have happened," wrote Susan Zake, editor in chief of Signal Akron. "We were able to quickly have his name removed so he can continue reporting on developments in the story without further interference."
The city declined to comment on the ongoing criminal case itself but sent the Beacon Journal a statement that was first issued to Signal Akron regarding Brown.
"This morning, the Prosecutor's office filed a new witness list which does not include Signal Akron reporter Doug Brown," the Tuesday statement from Mayor Shammas Malik said. "My administration aims to be as transparent with the media as possible and has specifically shared extended body camera footage with Signal Akron as well as providing comment on the use of force in question. We continue to prioritize communication and transparency as core values."
The city of Akron and Akron Municipal Court have yet to provide the Beacon Journal with a requested copy of the proposed witness list.
Bryce Buyakie covers courts and public safety for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @bryce_buyakie.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: City removes Signal Akron reporter from witness list in body slam case
