Takeaways:

• The Florida Supreme Court ruled that Marsy’s Law, a constitutional amendment that grants rights to crime victims, does not guarantee anonymity for police officers who use deadly force.

• The court stated that Marsy’s Law does not provide a categorical right for any victim, including police officers, to withhold their names from disclosure.

• The ruling is seen as a victory for First Amendment advocates and government transparency.

• The case arose from incidents in 2020 involving Tallahassee police officers who fatally shot armed suspects. The officers were later cleared by a grand jury.

• The Police Benevolent Association sued to prevent the release of the officers’ names, arguing that they were victims of a crime and entitled to Marsy’s Law protections. The Supreme Court disagreed and quashed the decision of the First District Court of Appeal.

References:

[1] Florida Supreme Court rules Marsy’s Law privacy doesn’t apply to police officers.

[2] Florida Supreme Court: Marsy’s Law “doesn’t explicitly” shield police officers’ identities.