Court strikes down limits on filming of police in Arizona

PHOENIX (AP) — A federal judge has ruled that an Arizona law limiting how close people can get to recording law enforcement is unconstitutional, citing a clearly established right to film police doing their jobs. The ruling Friday from U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi permanently blocks enforcement of the law that he suspended last year. Republican leaders of the Arizona Legislature have declined to defend the legislation in response to a challenge by a coalition of media groups and the ACLU. Bystander cellphone videos are credited with revealing police misconduct and reshaping the conversation around police transparency. But Republican Arizona lawmakers initially said the legislation was needed to limit deliberate interference.