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November 2006 - Posts

Thursday, November 30, 2006 3:02 PM

Top Libel suits

A friend of Al Gore's is suing World News Daily, a conservative news site, for $165 million because of a series of articles alleging corruption by Gore and his Tennessee support. http://wnd.com/news/seeitnow.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53152  The Media Law Research
posted by DaveAeikens | 0 Comments
Wednesday, November 29, 2006 2:45 PM

Plaintiff's death leaves defamation case in limbo

A man who successfully sued a Wichita, Kan. TV  station for linking him to the BTK killings has died. What happens next is unclear. The NY Times has a AP report: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-BTK-Lawsuit.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogi
posted by DaveAeikens | 0 Comments
Tuesday, November 28, 2006 12:46 PM

Court sides with government in Times case

Sigh. Judith Miller and the New York Times lose another one. Patrick Fitzgerald can run through the paper's phone records. The Washington Post has the story:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/27/AR2006112700646.html
posted by DaveAeikens | 0 Comments
Monday, November 27, 2006 6:41 PM

Familiar faces in battle for secret sources

Patrick Fitzgerald and Judith Miller were involved in the most famous or notorious case involving the government's desire to get reporters to turn over names of sources. They are on opposite ends again, this time in a different case. USA Today reports:
posted by DaveAeikens | 0 Comments
Monday, November 27, 2006 6:31 PM

A behind the scenes look at SF legal battle

The NY times takes a behind the scenes look at the battles facing the lawyers and others for San Francisco Chronicle reporters Lance Williams and Mark Fainuru-Wade. David Carr, who once worked for one of those smart-aleck alternative papers in Minnesota,
posted by DaveAeikens | 0 Comments
Monday, November 27, 2006 12:23 AM

Trouble at polling places

From Editor and Publisher and Press Notes JournalistsJournalists threatened with arrest at pollsA reporter and photographer for the Cincinnati Enquirer were threatened with arrest at a local polling site yesterday, the paper reported, after attempting
posted by MikeKnaak | 0 Comments
Monday, November 27, 2006 12:04 AM

Photos at polling places

On Election Day, photographers across the county faced an inconsistent set of laws tangled up with local customs and practices while trying to photograph voting. Showing readers what goes on at the polls is a basic watchdog role of the press. (Remember
posted by MikeKnaak | 0 Comments
Friday, November 24, 2006 7:18 PM

Judge: Wiretapping program stays secret

A group had sued under the FOI Act to get more info. http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=17810
posted by DaveAeikens | 0 Comments
Wednesday, November 22, 2006 2:09 PM

Nancy Grace sued

This post might be fitting for an ethics blog as well. CNN Headline News talk show host Nancy Grace is being sued. http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20061122/a_nline22.art.htm
posted by DaveAeikens | 1 Comments
Wednesday, November 22, 2006 12:37 PM

Josh Wolf Update

SPJ President Christie Tatum reports on the latest bad news for San Francisco blogger and freelance journalist Josh Wolf. http://spj.org/blog/blogs/president/archive/2006/11/16/786.aspx If this is what happens, he would be in prison for about a year.
posted by DaveAeikens | 0 Comments
Wednesday, November 22, 2006 12:35 PM

Libel Loss at Illinois Paper

Gannett's top legal counsel reports on a large libel loss for an Illinois paper: http://www.gannett.com/go/newswatch/2006/november/nw1121-3.htm    
posted by DaveAeikens | 0 Comments
Monday, November 20, 2006 4:05 PM

We can help journalists in legal trouble

The Legal Defense Fund is about of money that SPJ uses to help journalists with legal battles. A committee that includes LDF chairman Dave Aeikens, President Christine Tatum, and the Freedom of Information Committee of Joel Campbell, David Cullier and
posted by DaveAeikens | 0 Comments
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 3:29 PM

The auction needs you

Each year, the major fund-raiser for the Legal Defense Fund is our silent and live auction at the national convention. Many of you have taken part by buying an item or just watched as Steve Geimann and Betsy Ashton jockey with each other to win high
posted by DaveAeikens | 0 Comments
Thursday, November 09, 2006 5:57 PM

The Shield: LDF blog debuts

As the Legal Defense Fund blog debuts, it's unfortunately a busy time for journalists and court rooms. Josh Wolf is still in prison and the two San Francisco Chronicle reporters who wrote about Barry Bonds might be headed there. The Legal Defense Fund
posted by DaveAeikens | 0 Comments