Reporter Gets 6 Months In Slammer For Protecting Source Of Story - GoFuckYourself.com

Greg B · 11-18-2004, 03:58 PM

This one is too close to call. Since there was a trial involved and could have been jeopardized by this shit. Yet the 1st Amendment is in question again and the fine they put on this guy was ill.

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Reporter Convicted for Protecting Source

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Nov 18, 12:58 PM (ET)

By MICHAEL MELLO

(AP)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A television reporter was convicted of criminal contempt Thursday for refusing to say who gave him an FBI videotape showing a city official taking a bribe.

Jim Taricani, of WJAR-TV, faces up to six months in prison when he is sentenced Dec. 9 by U.S. District Judge Ernest Torres.

Taricani, 55, broke no law by repeatedly airing the tape, but a special prosecutor was appointed to find out who leaked it because the court had ordered attorneys, investigators and defendants not to disseminate any tapes connected to a federal corruption probe during former Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci Jr.'s administration.

The tape, which shows an undercover FBI informant giving a cash-stuffed envelope to top Cianci aide Frank Corrente, aired in 2001, two months before Cianci, Corrente and others were indicted in the investigation code-named "Operation Plunder Dome." Cianci and Corrente were convicted and are serving time in federal prison.

(AP) TV news reporter Jim Taricani, center, speaks to reporters following being found guilty of...
Full Image

Torres has said the leak was meant to either disrupt the investigation or deprive defendants of a fair trial by influencing prospective jurors. He ordered Taricani to answer questions about the tape last fall, but Taricani refused, saying he has a First Amendment right to keep his sources confidential.

After his 45-minute trial Thursday, Taricani called the conviction an "assault on journalistic freedom" and said he never expected to have to behind bars for doing his job.

"I made a promise to my source, which I intend to keep," Taricani said.

In March, Torres found Taricani in civil contempt for refusing to disclose his source and imposed a $1,000-a-day fine until he did. WJAR, which is owned by NBC Universal Television Group, paid $85,000 for its reporter until judge suspended the fine two weeks ago, saying it had not achieved its goal.

Torres had said before Thursday's trial that he wouldn't sentence Taricani to more than six months in prison because of the reporter's health. Taricani underwent heart transplant surgery in 1996.

Taricani would be the first to serve time on a criminal contempt among a crop of reporters around the country to serve time on a criminal contempt charge. Around the nation, several reporters face possible fines or jail, including the cases of the leaked identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame and a lawsuit against the government by nuclear physicist Wen Ho Lee.

BigWebRev · 11-18-2004, 04:00 PM

$5 for Wen Ho Lee

Project-Shadow · 11-18-2004, 04:02 PM

... Thats totally fucked up.
Kinda leaves you speechless, lets protect someone's life... or not.

Jeff aka NIGHTfall · 11-18-2004, 04:03 PM

awsome that he is not giving up the info as he promised.... and its also good to see he is not backing down

webmaster x · 11-18-2004, 04:11 PM

you gotta give it to him. the guy has some spunk./

Veterans Day · 11-18-2004, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by webmaster x
you gotta give it to him. the guy has some spunk./

he shall be recieving spunk shortly

11-18-2004, 03:58 PM	#1
Greg B So Fucking Banned Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: EARTH (for the time being) Posts: 7,014	Reporter Gets 6 Months In Slammer For Protecting Source Of Story This one is too close to call. Since there was a trial involved and could have been jeopardized by this shit. Yet the 1st Amendment is in question again and the fine they put on this guy was ill. ----- Reporter Convicted for Protecting Source Email this Story Nov 18, 12:58 PM (ET) By MICHAEL MELLO (AP) PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A television reporter was convicted of criminal contempt Thursday for refusing to say who gave him an FBI videotape showing a city official taking a bribe. Jim Taricani, of WJAR-TV, faces up to six months in prison when he is sentenced Dec. 9 by U.S. District Judge Ernest Torres. Taricani, 55, broke no law by repeatedly airing the tape, but a special prosecutor was appointed to find out who leaked it because the court had ordered attorneys, investigators and defendants not to disseminate any tapes connected to a federal corruption probe during former Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci Jr.'s administration. The tape, which shows an undercover FBI informant giving a cash-stuffed envelope to top Cianci aide Frank Corrente, aired in 2001, two months before Cianci, Corrente and others were indicted in the investigation code-named "Operation Plunder Dome." Cianci and Corrente were convicted and are serving time in federal prison. (AP) TV news reporter Jim Taricani, center, speaks to reporters following being found guilty of... Full Image Torres has said the leak was meant to either disrupt the investigation or deprive defendants of a fair trial by influencing prospective jurors. He ordered Taricani to answer questions about the tape last fall, but Taricani refused, saying he has a First Amendment right to keep his sources confidential. After his 45-minute trial Thursday, Taricani called the conviction an "assault on journalistic freedom" and said he never expected to have to behind bars for doing his job. "I made a promise to my source, which I intend to keep," Taricani said. In March, Torres found Taricani in civil contempt for refusing to disclose his source and imposed a $1,000-a-day fine until he did. WJAR, which is owned by NBC Universal Television Group, paid $85,000 for its reporter until judge suspended the fine two weeks ago, saying it had not achieved its goal. Torres had said before Thursday's trial that he wouldn't sentence Taricani to more than six months in prison because of the reporter's health. Taricani underwent heart transplant surgery in 1996. Taricani would be the first to serve time on a criminal contempt among a crop of reporters around the country to serve time on a criminal contempt charge. Around the nation, several reporters face possible fines or jail, including the cases of the leaked identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame and a lawsuit against the government by nuclear physicist Wen Ho Lee.

11-18-2004, 04:03 PM	#4
Jeff aka NIGHTfall Confirmed User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Port St. Lucie, Florida Posts: 5,162	awsome that he is not giving up the info as he promised.... and its also good to see he is not backing down __________________ Register Now For PimpinPays.com

11-18-2004, 04:11 PM	#5
webmaster x Confirmed User Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,400	you gotta give it to him. the guy has some spunk./ __________________ Click 9500 FHG Text Descriptions--Only $89!

11-18-2004, 04:00 PM	#2
BigWebRev Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: L A Posts: 1,631	$5 for Wen Ho Lee

11-18-2004, 04:02 PM	#3
Project-Shadow Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 7,340	... Thats totally fucked up. Kinda leaves you speechless, lets protect someone's life... or not.