There are no limits to what some prosecutors are willing to do to discredit the efforts of investigative journalists.
Journalism students at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism have come under fire from Illinois assistant state attorneys for uncovering evidence that they believe proves the innocence of a Harvey, Ill. man convicted in the shooting death of a security guard in 1978.
The students and professor David Protess, as members of the Medill Innocence Project, have spent three years investigating the accusations against Anthony McKinney, who will receive a new hearing after spending 31 years behind bars.
Meanwhile, the Cook County state attorney’s office has subpoenaed the students’ grades, notes, off-the-record interviews, e-mails, syllabi and grading criteria for the course and receipts for expenses. Northwestern has partially complied, turning over on-the-record material of interviews with witnesses.
The school, however, refuses to release the other items requested, contending that the students are protected by the Illinois Reporter’s Privilege Act, which allows reporters to refrain from testifying about information or sources obtained during reporting.
Northwestern has prepared a legal challenge to get the subpoena repealed.
Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez compared the students to investigators, implying that they shouldn’t be subject to these protections.
Illinois state attorneys are simply trying to discredit the students’ research. The request to obtain students’ grades and syllabi undermines any credibility these prosecutors might have had in this case.
A hearing will be held Nov. 10 to determine whether Protess and his students will have to release the information requested by the Cook County prosecutors.
Here’s to hoping that these students are relieved from having to comply with this ridiculous request.
