Four newsmen have been jailed in the past year either for refusing to disclose sources of information or withholding unpublished material from curious grand juries. With the First Amendment no longer a shield against such proceedings, other reporters may also be prosecuted. Reporter William Farr ran into trouble while covering the Charles Manson murder trial for the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner. He published a story based on a witness's confidential statement to the district attorney's office, then refused to comply with Judge Charles Older's demand that he name his source. Upon losing a long legal fight, Farr was jailed in November. Last...
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