KTTH OPINION

Rantz: King County judge protecting accused Fall City mass murderer from media coverage

Oct 28, 2024, 5:55 PM

Photo: On Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, King County Judge Joe Campagna, far right, sits on the bench as a...

On Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, King County Judge Joe Campagna, far right, sits on the bench as attorneys sit at their table in a Seattle courtroom during the first court appearance for a 15-year-old boy after he was arrested in connection to a Fall City mass murder. (Photo: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio)

(Photo: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio)

A King County Superior Court issued an order that protects a mass murder suspect at the expense of press freedoms and your right to be informed about a potential threat. The decision was made without the media being represented and it’s egregiously unconstitutional. But that might be the least of your worries.

In a stunning and disturbing decision, Judge Joe Campagna ordered the media not to name the 15-year-old suspect in the brutal mass murder of five members of his family in Fall City. Police said he murdered his parents, his 9-year-old and 13-year-old brothers, and his 7-year-old sister. A fourth sibling, his 11-year-old sister, said her brother killed the family and shot her, though she survived by playing dead before escaping.

The juvenile suspect has been charged with five counts of aggravated first-degree murder and attempted murder.

During a hearing, the defense counsel asked for an order barring the media from identifying the suspect. The judge agreed to the request, even though no lawyer representing media interests attended. Indeed, media outlets weren’t even notified of this potential order, which meant we could not organize or present opposition. The court did not even distribute the order to media outlets, almost as if we were being set up.

Why is Judge Joe Campagna protecting the juvenile Fall City mass murder suspect?

This order is a blatant affront to the principles of free speech and the public’s right to know. Shielding the identity of a suspect in a mass murder case, especially when his name is already public in legal documents, is a decision that demands serious opposition. If the suspect is found guilty, due to his age, he could be released from prison in 25 years — at an age where he will still be considered a threat.

So, why is Judge Joe Campagna protecting a mass murder suspect?

Historically, media censorship orders like this are rare and face strong constitutional scrutiny. The First Amendment protects the press’s freedom to report on public interest matters. This principle has been repeatedly upheld, with cases like Nebraska Press Association v. Stuart (1976) establishing a high bar for any judicial order curtailing press freedoms.

The Supreme Court held that such prior restraint is “the most serious and least tolerable infringement” of First Amendment rights, noting that the government must show a clear and present danger to justify silencing the press.

Here, there is no compelling government interest significant enough to override the media’s rights.

There’s no reasonable argument to bar the media from reporting on the juvenile Fall City mass murder suspect

What public benefit does Judge Campagna believe is achieved by hiding the name of someone already documented and charged in open court? That the suspect avoid media scrutiny so that after trial, he is given a societal pass? Sorry, but the family deserved the pass — not their suspected killer.

Judge Campagna’s ruling also conflicts with public access to criminal proceedings, as emphasized in Richmond Newspapers, Inc. v. Virginia (1980), where the court underscored that criminal trials are to be open to public scrutiny, ensuring transparency. The identity of the suspect is already disclosed in legal filings; attempting to block media reporting on this open information disregards established case law supporting public access to court proceedings.

If Judge Campagna aims to protect the suspect’s privacy, that reasoning crumbles against the brutal reality of the crime: five family members shot dead, with one survivor recounting horrific details implicating the suspect. Why is he deserving of anonymity? This isn’t a juvenile who stole a Snickers from a 7-Eleven; he’s charged with systematically and intentionally executing his entire family and trying to frame his younger brother.

More bad decisions to come

Thanks to this ruling, we’re all but guaranteed two inevitable next steps.

First, in all cases with a juvenile suspect, you can count on defense attorneys asking for the same privacy protections so their clients can escape media scrutiny. Why wouldn’t they? If one judge is willing to show such egregious judgment weighing invented rights of the accused more than the literal rights of the press, others will follow. King County judges already proudly lean into far-left notions about justice. This will inspire more to continue.

Second, Democrat lawmakers may now be spurred into creating a legal exemption for juveniles accused of felonious conduct. They’ve already passed numerous policies ensuring that juvenile criminals get as much a pass as possible. We don’t even house criminal juveniles, even when dangerous, in adult prisons until they’re 25 years old. Is it hard to believe Democrat lawmakers would try to offer more protections to juvenile suspects and criminals?

A scary and unconstitutional precedent

There’s no denying the public’s vested interest in knowing the identity of the Fall City mass murder suspect, particularly when such individuals are generally ineligible for significant prison time. In Washington, life sentences or, at a minimum, decades-long sentences are expected for such serious charges. Yet, the possibility exists that he might serve no more than 25 years. Imagine the horror of the public, unaware of his identity, encountering him years later, perhaps as a neighbor, coworker or boyfriend, because he received undeserved protection during his trial.

When we hear about a horrific crime like this, we instinctively want answers. To suppress the identity of the accused not only deprives the public of essential information but also undermines the credibility of the justice system. Society has a right to understand the scope of violence committed and to identify the individuals responsible. His surviving family members should have the right to talk to the press in ways where we don’t have to censor them, should they choose to use the suspect’s name.

Justice cannot serve only the accused; it must represent victims and the broader community by exposing crimes and ensuring they are not kept hidden by protective orders that defy logic and legality. Ultimately, Judge Joe Campagna’s decision raises a vital question: where is the line between the judiciary’s discretion and the First Amendment’s promise of transparency? In the King County courtroom, there doesn’t seem to be a line, but a mandate that the press not be able to do its job.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, InstagramYouTube and Facebook.

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Rantz: King County judge protecting accused Fall City mass murderer from media coverage