Harvey Levin Stands up to LASD Spies

Posted 10 months, 2 weeks ago at 8:39 pm. 0 comments

Harvey Levin, the gay founder of celebrity tracking website TMZ.com, has told a meeting of industry executives that he intends to pursue legal actions against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) for “abuse.”  It was recently reported in the Los Angeles Times that LASD had obtained a transcript of Levin’s home phone records, in pursuit of an investigation of leaks from the police to the media following the arrest of actor Mel Gibson for DUI in 2006.  “We are going to stand up not just for us but because it is right thing to do,” Mr Levin  said. “It is outrageous what law enforcement has done here.  I can only imagine the Pandora’s Box this is going to open up to find out what else has happened.”

Authorities were embarrassed when TMZ reported that, following his arrest, Gibson launched into a profane and anti-semitic rant.  Initially, the police report had been suppressed by high-ranking officers, who reported the arrest had occurred “without incident.”   Shortly later, the details were leaked to TMZ revealing Gibson had been unruly, attempted escape, and repeatedly threatened the arresting officers.  LASD then tried to find out which of their officers had been talking to the press.  They found a judge willing to sign off on their secret warrant to spy on Levin.

Legal experts point out that California’s constitution protects reporters from revealing their sources, and that any search of Levin’s phone records would have been illegal.