Prof. Jane Kirtley Quoted by Washington Post about Arrests of Alabama Newspaper Publisher and Reporter

Professor Jane Kirtley was quoted by the Washington Post regarding a newspaper publisher and a reporter who were arrested for publishing an article officials said was based on confidential grand-jury evidence — a move that press-freedom advocates are characterizing as an unconstitutional attack on the news media. Kirtley said these arrests follow a number of other recent cases in which local prosecutors have used warrants, threats, and criminal proceedings to harass or pressure journalists. Such prosecutions can be costly, especially for small news organizations. They also serve as a “a dead crow on a fence,” a warning to would-be leakers and other journalists that they will face legal jeopardy if they disclose secret or sensitive information or pursue aggressive investigations.