"The First Amendment has won a victory in this case, but this war is not over in terms of the public's need for journalists to cover the actions of law enforcement," Ardia said.
Before the verdict, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, called reporters "kind of a policeman for our governmental system." Grassley said he was unfamiliar with the specifics of the case, and what Sahouri was doing while on the scene. But, "If she was there just covering the press and not ... violating any laws, just reporting, she ought to be covered by the First Amendment freedom of speech," he added.
Police officers testified, however, that Sahouri and Robnett were seen in body camera footage and a local TV station's coverage of the protest during and after the announcement of dispersal orders. Protesters were throwing rocks and water bottles while also breaking windows and damaging other property, police officers testified.
Des Moines police Lt. Chad Steffen said he told people to stand back while a squad car's public address system can be heard in the background of his bodycam footage telling people to "disperse" and also "protest peacefully."
Sahouri and Robnett said they never disobeyed police officers' orders and said they did not hear an order to disperse the area. Robnett testified that at one point, Sahouri spoke with a police officer on the scene after the dispersal order had been read who indicated to them that they could remain in the area.
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