Maybe some ZMA would help them cope with prison

For refusing to give up their sources in the BALCO case, a federal judge has ordered San Francisco Chronicle reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams to jail for up to 18 months.

Journalists are not above the law. Publishing grand jury testimony is illegal, and the two writers knew what they were risking when they printed the leaked information.

However, I think they did an honorable thing both by telling the public the truth and by protecting their sources. And the idea of them going to jail while Bonds and other BALCO-linked athletes remain free leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Those of us who read the book Game of Shadows know there is an iron-clad case against Bonds. This is not simply hearsay from an ex-mistress. (Although there is plenty of that too, making for a very interesting story.)

Comments

Anonymous said…
I don't think publishing the testimony was the "crime" here. Leaking it was. They're being jailed for not revealing the source, not for publishing the testimony. (Though the prosecutor is threatening them with "aiding" in the disclosure).

At any rate, this just plays up the need for a federal shield law so journalists can do their job without having to deal with this kind of nonsense.
September 22, 2006
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