Client who hired detective to spy on Reno's mayor with GPS asks Nevada court to ... trends now
A mystery client who hired a private detective to secretly track Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve has asked Nevada's Supreme Court to keep him anonymous under the First Amendment that 'protects anonymous political activity'.
The client hired investigator David McNeely who placed a GPS device underneath Schieve's car which tracked her real-time location and she was unaware until a mechanic noticed it while fixing her vehicle.
The politician filed a civil lawsuit in December seeking damages from McNeely for a violation of her privacy and alleged he trespassed onto her property to install the device without her consent.
The client, whose identity has not been shared, did not face criminal charges because the placing of the devices on cars wasn’t illegal at the time because no Nevada law specifically outlawed the practice.
But Governor Joe Lombardo signed a bill on June 3 which now prohibits the placement of GPS trackers on vehicles with the exceptions of police officers with warrants and certain creditors in some cases.
A mystery client who hired a detective to secretly track Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve (pictured) has asked Nevada's Supreme Court to keep him anonymous under the First Amendment that 'protects anonymous political activity'
The client hired a private investigator who placed a GPS device underneath Schieve's car which tracked her location and she was unaware until a mechanic found the device
Lawyers who are representing the man who hired the private detective, referred to as 'John Doe' in court, filed a petition on June 1 to keep his identity a secret.
His attorneys said the US Supreme Court 'has repeatedly affirmed that the First Amendment protects anonymous political activity'.
'For better or worse ... the use of private investigators to conduct investigations of elected officials and/or candidates is just politics as usual,' they wrote in the filing.
Police traced the GPS device and found it was purchased by McNeely. Ex-Washoe County Commissioner Vaugn Hartung joined the suit in February, alleging a GPS monitor also was secretly attached to his vehicle to track his movements.
Chief Justice Lidia Stiglich set additional filing deadlines for July as the justices consider an appeal the detective filed last month.
He is seeking to overturn a Washoe County judge’s order that he name the person who hired him to keep tabs on Mayor Schieve and a county commissioner before the November election.
McNeely's lawyers
