State v. Lashinsky

I have no quarrel with the standard which the majority has espoused in judging the legality of defendant’s actions. Whether a newsman’s refusal to obey a police officer’s command constitutes a violation of N.J.S.A. 2A:170-29(2)(b) must, in the final analysis, hinge upon whether “from an objective standpoint and under all of the circumstances” that command was reasonable. See ante at 1128. Moreover, in making such a “reasonableness” determination, we must not lose sight of the media’s special role in enlightening the public with respect to current events and thus be mindful that the newsman…