Jason Chen and the folks at Gizmodo were the early targets of the criminal investigation into the lost iPhone 4 prototype. It appears now that the investigation is continuing, but Gizmodo editor, Jason Chen, can breathe a big sigh of relief.
While Gizmodo made headlines by being the first to show the iPhone 4, they made even more headlines because of how they got it. Initial reports that they recovered a lost prototype turned to accusations that they bought stolen Apple technology. Investigators escalated the drama by seizing all of Gizmodo editor, Jason Chen's, computers and gadgets from his home/office. Now, several months later, there is some resolution, at least for Gizmodo.
According to a story on TUAW.com, the warrant against Gizmodo has now been withdrawn and Jason Chen's property was returned. This comes on the heels of news that Gizmodo has "reached an agreement" with authorities and has agreed to help the authorities with their investigation.
While this is obviously good for Gizmodo, it is also good for the investigators. Serious concerns were raised about the legality of seizing and inspecting property belonging to a journalist. Shield laws protect journalists from divulging certain information like sources. However those laws have rarely been put to the test and never in a situation quite like this. By dropping the warrant and securing Gizmodo's cooperation, the investigators could likely get the information they need much quicker.
We don't know when we'll ever see a resolution to this story, but it is nice to see that journalists are no longer the center of attention in this case.
