LAPD suspends cops in Rihanna photo leak probe

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LAPD suspends cops in Rihanna photo leak probe

Mon Sep 14, 2009 @ 12:14PM PST

By Eriq Gardner


Rihanna-beaten-and-battered Is TMZ's streak of breaking celebrity dirt — and online traffic records — about to come to a halt?

Late last week, two Los Angeles Police Department officers were placed on leave as part of a probe into the unauthorized leak of a photo of battered pop singer Rihanna.

Lawyers for the suspended officers claim they have nothing to do with the photo's leak, but Gawker makes a fair point: "It's going to be harder to get the cooperation of law enforcement sources if they think it is at all likely a witchhunt will put their steady government job and comfy, government-funded retirement at risk, leaving them in the cold during a recession."

We wonder what sort of civil claims might celebrities pursue to further knock TMZ on its heels. An invasion of privacy class action against the LAPD and other government agencies? Public figures have long pursued invasion of privacy claims against paparazzi, but they have gone soft on outlets fostering the spread of leaked information.

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The Hollywood Reporter, Esq. blog focuses on how the entertainment and media industries are impacted and influenced by the law. It is edited by Matthew Belloni with contributions from veteran legal reporter Eriq Gardner and others. Before joining The Hollywood Reporter, Belloni was a lawyer at an entertainment litigation firm in Los Angeles. He writes a column for THR devoted to entertainment law. Gardner is a New York-based writer and legal journalist. Send tips or comments to Matthew.Belloni@thr.com

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