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Celebrity photographer Paul Raef was the first person to be
prosecuted under California's anti-paparazzi law, which was
drafted in 2010 to crack down on aggressive, reckless behavior
by people taking photos commercially.
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge dropped the charges against
Raef in 2012, saying the statute under which he was accused was
overly broad and could increase reckless driving penalties in
unintended cases.
An appellate court, however, reversed that decision in 2014,
prompting Raef to appeal against the charges again on the basis
that the anti-paparazzi law violates the First Amendment of the
U.S. Constitution by constricting the freedom of news gatherers.
In delivering its verdict on the appeal, the 2nd District Court
of Appeals in Los Angeles said the law does not unfairly target
the news media and should apply to "any driver who follows too
closely, swarms in, or drives recklessly with the requisite
intent and purpose, whether or not the driver is a celebrity
photographer".
Calls to Raef's attorney were not immediately returned. The
charges carry a penalty of six months in jail.
Bieber, who became a pop sensation through YouTube videos at age
15, is known for numerous paparazzi run-ins involving reckless
driving. In 2013, a photographer trailing the "Boyfriend"
singer's white Ferrari in Los Angeles was killed after he
crossed a busy highway to snap photos of the car.
Canadian-born Bieber, 21, said at the time he hoped the incident
would "inspire meaningful legislation" to protect the
celebrities being hounded as well as the photographers.
(Editing by Victoria Cavaliere and Miral Fahmy)
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