Britney Spears - Due Process and Media Ethics

After reading the latest story about Britney Spears' recent hospitalization, I think admitting her was the right thing to do. Due process was involved because the state of California recognized that she was a threat to herself and others, therefore hospitalization was the right choice. Spears' behavior could have endagered herself, her children/family, and others in the community. I think using 5150 was the right thing to do, remove Britney from her home and evaluate her. Hopefully she will realize that she needs treatment. If after 72 hours she wishes to leave the state of California or Spears' family have the right (and should invoke the right) to make sure she says there for as long as the law allows without Spears' consent. I think the State of California stepped in and used due process to help Britney get the medical attention she needs.

I feel the media/ paparazzi has been very unethical in their pursuit of Britney. Yes it makes for a good story, yes there at thousands of nosey people who can't get enough gossip about Spears', but it wrong...plain and simple. She obviously needs mental help and being chased like an animal all over the world isn't helping her mental state. The media should respect the fact that Spears is indeed sick, and wait until her treatment is complete or she is ruled physically and mentally fit before the start to pursue her once again. Of course the media/paparazzi has never left Spears alone and I doubt they are going to now. Spears is in the public eye, which does subject her to photographs and stories. The 1st amendment does give the media the right to free speech and press, but the way they chase people down and plauge their life is very unethical is some cases when it is obvious that the person needs mental help.

Due Process

DUE PROCESS - The idea that laws and legal proceedings must be fair. The Constitution guarantees that the government cannot take away a person's basic rights to 'life, liberty or property, without due process of law.' Courts have issued numerous rulings about what this means in particular cases. (Lectlaw.com)

Walter Burgwyn Jones served in the Alabama state legislature from 1919 to 1920. He was then a circuit court judge until 1935. Jones was a presiding judge from 1935 to 1963.
In the 1956 Presidential election, faithless elector W. F. Turner cast his vote for Jones, who was a circuit court judge in Turner's home town, for President of the United States and Herman E. Talmadge for Vice President, instead of voting for Adlai Stevenson and Estes Kefauver. (Wikepedia)

T. Eric Embry was a Superme Court Justice in Alabama. Justice Embry, who as a trial lawyer represented The New York Times in what became the landmark libel case New York Times Company v. Sullivan. (New York Times).

Walter Burgwyn Jones wrote an article called "Alabama Pleading and Practice of Law". Jones later over ruled his own article.

It seems these two men were both involved in a civil rights case in Alabama. These men were also determined to not let black people have any rights.