By John Johnson An assault on the freedom of the press is taking place here in the US, writes journalist Judith Miller in the Los Angeles Times . A court in Colorado might soon order Fox News reporter Jana Winter to jail for refusing to disclose the sources behind her reporting in the aftermath… …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Newser – Home
A FoxNews.com reporter may likely be sentenced to jail for refusing to reveal her source for an exclusive story about law enforcement officers obtaining James Holmes‘ notebook, Fox News contributor Judy Miller said Monday.
A Colorado judge is expected to decide Wednesday whether Jana Winter will be called to testify to reveal her sources who provided the New York-based reporter with alleged Aurora shooter James Holmes‘ notebook, which he had sent to a psychiatrist. Holmes’ defense attorneys subpoenaed Winter to testify about who informed her about the notebook. Miller, who spent 85 days in jail after refusing to reveal her source in disclosing the identity of a CIA agent in 2005, told Fox & Friends on Monday that she sees parallels to the cases.
“I had a very similar situation to Jana’s,” Miller said Monday. “Jana broke a very important story in this case, but nevertheless I was faced with the same choice and I made the same decision that she seems to be making.”
Miller said reporters must be allowed to develop “personal trust” with sources. Otherwise, citizens will be forced to be dependent on what government entities and officials disclose to the public, she said.
“If we’re dependent on what the government tells us, the public never really gets to know what it needs to know about a situation,” Miller said. “And we can’t do our jobs without investigative reporting. That is, without going out and talking to people whom perhaps the government doesn’t want us to talk to, to give the public the full story, which is very much what Jana did and I tried to do.”
Miller continued: “But if we don’t have that personal relationship and a relationship of trust with our sources, people won’t tell us things, because they really are risking their careers when they tell us something that perhaps the government doesn’t want us to know.”
And while the information disclosed by Winter’s sources is now public, Miller said she’s not so hopeful regarding about her chances later this week.
“I think she may have to go to prison,” Miller said. “I’m certainly hoping the judge doesn’t put her in that position.”
Winter, meanwhile, has maintained that she will not reveal her source.
“I don’t think she ought to be forced to make a decision between burning a confidential source and going to jail when the information is already public,” Miller said.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News
Fox News reporter Jana Winter is facing jail for refusing to reveal her source in an exclusive story on a notebook allegedly kept by James Holmes, the accused shooter in the July 2012 movie theater massacre in Aurora, Colo.
Winter has maintained that she will not reveal her source, a stance that saw former New York Times reporter Judith Miller sentenced to jail in 2005.
Miller spent 85 days in jail for protecting the identity of her Bush administration source who was involved in the controversial disclosure of a CIA employee’s identity.
“We cannot do our jobs without confidential sources or we will be repeating just what the government tells us,” Miller said on Fox News Watch Saturday.
“That is not the role of a free press,” she added.
A Colorado judge is expected to decide Wednesday whether Winter will be called to testify.
Click for more on Fox News’ First Amendment fight.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News
While James Holmes potentially faces the death penalty in the July 20, 2012, massacre that left 12 dead and 58 injured at an Aurora, Colo., movie theater, a parallel court case is proceeding in which Holmes’ defense attorney is asking the court to compel a FoxNews.com reporter to reveal one of her sources.
Reporter Judith Miller and columnist Kirsten Powers appeared Friday on Fox News’ “Happening Now” to give their thoughts on the case of Jana Winter, the FoxNews.com reporter who could go to jail for refusing to reveal her source for an exclusive story about law enforcement officers obtaining Holmes’ notebook.
A Colorado judge is expected to decide Wednesday whether Winter will be called to testify.
Click for full coverage of Fox News’ First Amendment fight.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News
Former New York Times reporter Judith Miller spent 85 days in jail in 2005 protecting the identity of her Bush administration source, who was involved in the controversial disclosure of a CIA employee’s identity.
Her attorney during the legal battle was Floyd Abrams, known as one of the top First Amendment lawyers in the country.
Miller and Abrams both stopped by “American Live w/Megyn Kelly” on Friday to discuss the case of FoxNews.com reporter Jana Winter, who could go to jail for refusing to reveal her source for an exclusive story in the aftermath of the July 20, 2012, movie theater massacre in Aurora, Colo.
A Colorado judge is expected to decide Wednesday whether Winter will be called to testify.
Click for full coverage of Fox News’ First Amendment fight.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News