Villarreal v. Alaniz

Summary

An independent journalist in Laredo, Texas, published two news stories identifying victims’ names after receiving confirmation of their identities from a Laredo police officer. Seven months later, police arrested Priscilla Villarreal for violating a Texas statute, justifying the arrest because the victims’ identities were not “public information” and the journalist benefitted from publishing the stories by gaining additional social media followers. Villarreal is suing the city for violating her First Amendment rights.