A judge ruled Thursday against the reality TV show Police Women of Broward County -- and now some heavily guarded secrets of the show and the BSO deputies who star in it are set to be revealed in court.
For Broward County Circuit Judge David Haimes, the issue boiled down to one question: What was more important, the TLC network reality show?s ?trade secrets? or the rights of two defendants sitting in jail? The judge opted for the latter.
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?These defendants have a right to fair trial," Haimes said.
With his ruling, the show?s producers will have to hand over contracts inked with the female BSO deputies who star on the show ? and are being paid for their work on television. One of the show?s stars, Det. Andrea Penoyer, watched the proceedings in court. The judge also ruled that Penoyer, who had refused to answer questions about her deal with the show during depositions, must now answer those questions.
The courtroom drama yesterday was the handiwork of Broward Public Defender Howard Finkelstein, who says the TV show is a travesty on a number of levels, saying it was "jiggle not justice."
"This TV show is cop porn, they have taken law enforcement officers not because they are good law enforcement officers, they were chosen simply because they are pretty, they?re attractive, they have great bodies," Finkelstein told Local 10. "And what makes the show outrageous is that it's both sexist [and] racist, because you'll notice they are not in my neighborhood and they're probably not in your neighborhood. They go to poor black neighborhoods. And when you have attractive women straddling a recoiling black man who is in horror and afraid of what's about to happen in his life, all while the camera is going, in my way of thinking, the show is both sexist and racist.?
Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti wasn't present yesterday, but has defended the show in the past and often appears at public "coffees" with Penoyer and other stars of the show.
In court, attorneys for the show?s producers fought hard to prevent the defense ? and the public ? from finding out just how much money was being paid to the deputies. Haimes initially said he would order that the show turn over the contracts to the defense but issue a protective order keeping them from the public. Attorney Dana McElroy, representing TLC owner Discovery Communications, told Haimes that such an order would violate Florida public records laws and its Constitution. Haimes agreed and decided not to issue a protective order on the contracts.
TLC did win a victory, however, when Haimes granted a stay until the matter is heard by an appellate court. That is expected to take weeks.
?You?re being paid by taxpayers but you?re also being paid by a TV show, we get to know whether their payment in any way changes what you did, what you say and where we?re going," Finkelstein said. "That TV show?s interest is ratings, it?s not justice.?