In January, an Ohio judge threw out a lawsuit by Showing Animals Respect and Kindness seeking permission to videotape sharpshooters the city of Solon planned to hire to shoot deer.
SHARK had requested permission from Solon to tape the deer cull. When that was denied, it filed a lawsuit. SHARK’s lawyer argued that since the deer shooting was being paid for by public monies, that the animal rights group had a First Amendment right to videotape the shooting of the deer.
Solon’s lawyers argued that SHARK had no standing to challenge the city in court, and Judge Nancy McDonnell agreed, throwing out the case.
Residents in Solon have complained that deer are damaging property and interfering with traffic, and the city has hired a firm to kill about 600 of the estimated 1,200 deer in the city.
Source:
Judge throws out suit to tape Solon deer kill. Michael O’Malley, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 15, 2005.