Moreover, to the extent that the website flushes out reliable information as to credibility, it may end up serving the cause of justice by preventing wrongful convictions.
It is easy to see why this website could be of use to criminal defense attorneys and criminal defendants attempting to impeach the credibility of their accusers. The purpose of this website is for individuals and attorneys to post, share and request any and all information that has been made public at some point to at least one person of the public prior to posting it on this site pertaining to local, state and federal Informants and Law Enforcement Officers." (Emphasis added.) In other words, the site's stated intention is that truly confidential information should never be posted. What is the site's purpose? The site itself says it is "a database driven website designed to assist attorneys and criminal defendants with few resources. The site used to be free, but now its database is subscription-only, and can be accessed only for a fee. Users can also post court documents or government records. Users need to supply their own contact information, or that of their lawyers, when posting information or comments. The information also includes facts that may bring his or her credibility into question any known criminal record and a photo, if available (photos of undercover agents are not posted on the site for safety reasons).
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANT DATABASE 2021 FULL
On the site, each listing may include an informant's or officer's full name, age, address, and occupation, as well as agencies for which he or she works. The Site: The Information It Contains, and Its Stated PurposeĪccording to news reports, Sean Bucci, a former Boston-area DJ, created after he was charged with allegedly selling marijuana in bulk out of his apartment. In this column, I'll explain why - drawing upon a key precedent relating to speech online that may be linked to potential real-world violence. While it's understandable that judges and the police are outraged by the site, the site appears perfectly legal - and it seems it will remain so, unless it ever were to actually threaten informants or undercover agents.Ībsent such a threat, the content of the web site is protected by the First Amendment. Is it legal for a website to publish the names and photos of persons its users claim are criminal informants (often referred to as "rats" or "snitches"), or undercover police agents? A website called "Who's a Rat" says it is doing just that. A Website Claims It is Publishing the Names of Confidential Informants and Undercover Government Agents: Why It's Legal For It to Do So
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