Woodstock News

Associated Press

Woodstock Thieves Sought Via Web

By JOHN KEKIS Associated Press Writer

ROME, N.Y. (AP) - State police have turned to the Internet as they try to track down thieves and vandals who trashed the Woodstock '99 site, a move that has raised questions about the use of journalistic photographs.

Authorities posted 14 photographs on the state police Web site, including 10 shot by Associated Press photographers. The AP protested as soon as it learned of the unauthorized use.

The photos show concertgoers breaking into pay phones, tearing down a 3-mile-long ``Peace Wall,'' looting a vendor's truck and robbing a cash machine. The police asked the public for any additional photos and details of the identities of people shown.

Sam Boyle, chief of the AP's New York City Bureau, discussed the site with various officials Monday.

``We have two concerns - violation of copyright and the journalistic separation from law enforcement,'' Boyle said.

The AP photos were put on the state police Web page on Friday, according to M.J. Edelman, Web master for the state police. Monday morning, Lt. Jamie Mills of the public information office said the pictures would be taken off the site, but they were still there early Tuesday.

Boyle then received calls from higher officials asking for permission to keep the pictures up, which he said could not be granted.

Glenn Valle, chief counsel for the state police, said his review indicated that there may not be an issue of copyright infringement.

``We don't think that we're violating the copyright or infringing on the copyright in this manner,'' Valle said. ``It was material that was already published.''

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