Gizmodo reporter's computers seized

Jason Chen, the reporter who wrote the stories last week about the prototype iPhone for tech site Gizmodo, had his computers seized by police from his home.

Brian Stelter and Nick Bilton of the New York Times write, “Gawker’s chief operating officer, Gaby Darbyshire, said it expected the immediate return of the computers and servers.

“‘Under both state and federal law, a search warrant may not be validly issued to confiscate the property of a journalist,’ she wrote in a letter to San Mateo County, Calif., authorities on Saturday. ‘Jason is a journalist who works full time for our company,’ she continued, adding that he works from home, his ‘de facto newsroom.’

“‘It is abundantly clear under the law that a search warrant to remove these items was invalid. The appropriate method of obtaining such materials would be the issuance of a subpoena,’ Ms. Darbyshire continued.

“The letter was shared on Monday afternoon by Nick Denton, the founder and president of Gawker Media. ‘Are bloggers journalists? I guess we’ll find out,’ Mr. Denton said in an instant message.”

Read more here.