It is the East Jutland Police who want to get their hands on the unedited footage in connection with the investigation of two cases.
On the one hand, the police are investigating whether employees from TV 2 have violated the law in connection with the recordings, and on the other hand, it is being investigated whether employees at the nursing homes can be punished for their criticisable treatment of citizens.
TV 2 has opposed the police being allowed to seize the footage and review it. In this connection, TV 2 has referred to the fact that it will be an interference with the media’s general working conditions, and that the intervention is not commensurate with the offenses that may be involved.
On the other hand, the East Jutland Police have maintained that it is necessary to have access to the recordings in order to be able to investigate the case thoroughly. And the Supreme Court agrees with that. Both as far as the investigation against TV 2 and the investigation against the employees at the nursing homes are concerned.
The documentary “The nursing homes behind the facade” deals with, among other things, the staff’s treatment of the dementia patient Else Marie Larsen at the nursing home Kongsgården in Aarhus.
The footage shows how the elderly woman does not get help, even though she expresses pain while hanging in a lift. The staff also fails to change a diaper on the elderly woman even though they know it is required.
The documentary was initially slowed down by a temporary ban imposed by first a city court judge and then three district court judges. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court also ruled on that part of the case and ruled that the ban was in accordance with the law.
Tuesday’s decision on the seizure and review of the unedited recordings – the so-called raw tapes – is a confirmation of an order from the Western High Court.
In October, the High Court reversed a decision from the Court in Aarhus. Here, a city court judge did not believe that TV 2 should hand over the unedited recordings.
East Jutland Police inform Ritzau that the investigation of the cases against partly a number of TV 2 employees and partly employees at the nursing homes has been awaiting the decision from the Supreme Court.
Now the investigators must review the contents of the footage, and when the investigation is completed, the case will be handed over to the prosecution, which will decide whether to prosecute anyone.