S-F Police Apologize For Raid On Journalist's Home

Chief Bill Scott

San Francisco police chief Chief William Scott on Friday apologized for a raid on a freelance journalist's home which sparked national criticism, CBS San Francisco reports. The raid at the home and office of stringer journalist Bryan Carmody on May 10 was in connection to a leaked police report which detailed the death of late San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi.

The information was reportedly sold to local news outlets for $2,500 hours after Adachi died on Feb. 22 from a heart attack. Scott said the search warrant came after city leaders demanded that the leak be investigated during a Board of Supervisors' hearing last month.

Scott made his apology during an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle.

"I'm sorry that this happened. I'm sorry to the people of San Francisco. I'm sorry to the mayor," he said in the interview. "We have to fix it. We know there were some concerns in that investigation and we know we have to fix it."

The chief also released a statement saying he had conducted over the past few days a thorough review of the Adachi report criminal investigation, the leak and the police report.

The case alarmed journalism advocates and put pressure on elected leaders in the politically liberal city to defend the press.

Scott initially defended the raid, telling the city Police Commission his department went through the appropriate legal process.



On Tuesday, Scott said Carmody "crossed the line" and suspected the journalist took part in a criminal conspiracy to steal an internal police report, motivated by profit or animosity toward Adachi.

Carmody said he did not pay for the report or conspire to steal it but simply acquired it as part of his work as a journalist.