Kudos to HCSO and thumbs down to this You tuber who thought she could get information about a Hoopa homicide case even local media has not received yet

 

Hazel Thompson made this request and received this response from HCSO.

Have to agree with HCSO. This case has not even had a preliminary hearing. Ms. Rebecca Linkous, attorney for William Warren has a motion to compel and is waiting on discovery.

Anyone can be a Youtuber. A real journalist would do some research. I know from covering local court cases that certain evidence and information cannot and is not released to media before the preliminary hearing. Humboldt law enforcement have their own policies.

Those of us here covering this locally would like the same footage and we would not be requesting it for clickbait for a monetized YouTube Channel. Rachel can use some of that money to pay Humboldt Superior Court for court records to educate her viewers if that is her objective.

Rachel, here is a free tip via Google AI for you and all the other Humboldt anon and non anon commenters who think they are experts on every subject and entitled to make demands from behind their screens for free. HCSO PIO Erin Inskip and HCSO are busy dealing with Humboldt priorities. Please do research before wasting their time.

In California, releasing extrajudicial information to the media before a preliminary hearing is strictly governed by the State Bar of California Rule 5-120 and Penal Code § 987.9/protective orders. Prosecutors and defense attorneys are prohibited from making statements that have a "substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing" the case.

In California, there is no absolute statewide ban stopping law enforcement from releasing information to the media before a preliminary hearing, but agencies are strictly governed by the California Public Records Act and internal department policies. They may legally release factual, non-prejudicial details but must withhold confidential or investigative information to protect the defendant’s right to a fair trial.