Grand Jury Subpoenas Against 'Phoenix New Times' Seek Online-User Info
By Joe Strupp
Published: October 18, 2007 11:01 AM ET
NEW YORK In what it claims is a "breathtaking abuse of the Constitution," the alternative weekly Phoenix New Times is being targeted with grand jury subpoenas seeking documents, source material, and even online user information related to coverage of a local sheriff....
editorandpublisher.com
October 18, 2007 - 7:26PM
New Times makes case against county authorities
Gary Grado, Tribune
County authorities want to use grand jury subpoenas to pry into the habits of visitors to the Web site of the Phoenix New Times weekly newspaper, the paper reported Thursday....
eastvalleytribune.com
...The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, using a private attorney retained as a special prosecutor, also wants every story New Times has written about Sheriff Joe Arpaio since Jan. 1, 2004 and all the notes, tapes and records of the reporters.
In an interview Thursday, New Times owner Michael Lacey said his paper is fighting to quash the subpoenas....
...Disclosing grand jury information is punishable by up to six months in jail, $2,500 in fines for a person and $20,000 for an enterprise.
Lacey said the decision to go public came after a judge revealed in a court proceeding that the special prosecutor, Dennis Wilenchik, tried to meet privately with the judge, which violates court and ethical rules. According to the story, Wilenchik had a “political operative” who is married to a deputy county attorney call the judge to arrange a meeting. In a closed-door hearing, the judge disclosed the phone call and told Wilenchik it was “absolutely inappropriate.”... |
