After chaining herself to the steps of her home that was a crime scene, Catherine Scott, grandmother of Richard Poplawski, was interviewed by numerous organizations while sitting and protesting the fact that she was denied admittance to the house, threatening to sue the media if they published or aired her comments.

At a press conference held for the signing of a new contract, Steelers linebacker James Harrison was recently surrounded by inquisitive and interested members of the media, who assembled after the event was scheduled.

Countless news gatherers were turned away to interview death-row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal inside a Philadelphia prison after he was jailed in 1982 for allegedly killing a young city cop.

Reporters were able to cover the first two events and not the last because, in the first two instances, their actions were legal and protected under the First Amendment. However in the third, the media was not covered and was denied access due to stipulations.

Though the First Amendment exists to aid the media in not becoming abbreviated in any way, past events arose that made reporters realize they were not always defended, putting a damper on the news-gathering process.

I feel that it is the public’s assumption that some form of the media will cover any and all events that happen, but these people have no clue in most cases what’s classified as news and if it is even possible to obtain information and interviews.

In the case of reporters talking with Scott, she was on public property and was a limited purpose public figure because she had pushed herself into the limelight. Those who spoke with her were not trespassing, as it was not a private place and they were not violating Pennsylvania law by recording her after getting consent. She complained that she’d sue, but has no legal basis whatsoever. However, in the soon-to-be case of her grandson, it is a different story when the media wish to have any contact with inmates.