A Montreal news organization is contesting the police seizure of a computer belonging to one of its journalists.
The Journal de Montreal’s managing editor says the newspaper’s lawyers are preparing to contest the validity of the provincial police search warrant that was executed Wednesday night.
George Kalogerakis says police seized the computer of court reporter Michael Nguyen at the newspaper’s office on behalf of the Quebec’s judicial council, which is seeking to find out how he received information for a story written last June.
Nguyen had reported that Quebec Court Judge Suzanne Vadeboncoeur allegedly hurled insults and acted abusively towards constables after a Christmas party in December at the Montreal courthouse.
The reporter received a copy of a surveillance video allegedly showing the incident as well as a report detailing a complaint against Vadeboncoeur.
Kalogerakis says Nguyen did not break any laws and the reporting about the conduct of a high-ranking judge was in the public interest.