The Stop Guilt by Association Act

Senator Sandra Cano

A controversial bill was introduced in the Rhode Island Senate before it was withdrawn on March 5, 2020. The bill, referred to as "The Stop Guilt by Association Act", would have have placed restrictions on the press. According to the bill's sponsor, Senator Sandra Cano, a primary goal of the bill was to protect those who have been charged with and then acquitted from a serious crime. Currently, when a media outlet initially covers a case, it is under no legal obligation to broadcast the conclusion of the case. A problem arises when someone is charged with a crime and then not convicted; a person accused of a crime could have his or her reputation damaged even if he or she is found to be innocent of the crime.

Cano decided to withdraw the bill after receiving persistent opposition from the New England First Amendment Coalition. The coalition claimed that the bill was "unconstitutional" and that it was not the job of the government to regulate how public matters are broadcasted. The group stated that the bill could "turn newsrooms into an arm of the judicial system and ultimately discourage crime reporting altogether for fear of liability".

The language used in the bill has also received a lot of negative attention. The potential act claimed that the state should "stop the press from serving as a slander machine". Cano has announced that she did not intend to disrespect the media by introducing the bill, and that she understands how the language used was inappropriate.

While the bill didn't make it through the Rhode Island Senate, it has raised an interesting question. Do the media have an obligation to finish the stories they start? Is this especially true when the unfinished nature of the story threatens to harm someone's reputation or put an inaccurate slant on the story? There is certainly a moral obligation to share the conclusion of a story, and I would argue that there is a legal one as well. If a suspect or defendant has been named, then the news station should have a moral and legal obligation to announce if the defendant is acquitted; otherwise, I fear that many people will be defamed.

An Article from a Local News Station in Rhode Island