Back to: News Media and the Law home page RCFP Home Page
 TABLE OF CONTENTS   The News Media & The Law Vol. 25, No. 2  

Cover

The News Media & The Law

Spring 2001

Florida’s move to cut off access to autopsy photos in the wake of Dale Earnhardt’s death catches the state once known for its openness
Shifting Into Reverse


In this issue:

  EDITORIAL The Florida flip-flop: reversing gears on records access

Cover Story
  FEATURE Earnhardt law reverses access to open records
  Profile Veteran auto racing writer chased the story and the truth
  SIDEBAR From start to finish
  SIDEBAR Autopsy photos are often used to refute official conclusions
  FIRST PERSON Three principles fueled Sentinel’s fight to review photos

Libel & Privacy
  ROUNDUP A renaissance in speech crime prosecutions
  SIDEBAR Criminal defamation laws are 19th century holdover
  SIDEBAR Criminal libel as political tactic
  Feature Sued into silence: anti-SLAPP laws to the rescue
  NINTH CIRCUIT ‘Hit list’ kept by anti-abortionists deemed protected speech
(Planned Parenthood v. ACLA)
  SECOND CIRCUIT Scientology defamation lawsuit against Time magazine dismissed
(Church of Scientology International v. Behar)
  LOUISIANA Incitement lawsuit against Stone, "Natural Born Killers" dismissed
(Byers v. Edmondson)
  VIRGINIA High court rejects subpoena by anonymous corporation
(America Online, Inc. v. Anonymously Publicly Traded Company)
  NEVADA Jury must entertain ‘serious’ doubts

Broadcasting & Copyright
  Washington, D.C. FCC defines the indefinable: Indecency
(Industry Guidance on the Commission’s Case Law Interpreting 18 U.S.C. 1464 and Enforcement Policies Regarding Indecency)
  Eleventh Circuit New technology forces courts to examine copyright
(Greenberg v. National Geographic)
  Washington, D.C. Media to clean up election coverage without lawmakers
  SIDEBAR Occupational hazards of live television
  Roundup Notable advancement in camera access in a few states

Freedom of Information
  FEATURE Slow starters: Journalists now should take quick study of when they are entitled to expedited review
(Al-Fayed v. CIA)
  SIDEBAR Tip Sheet
  UPDATE Bush adopts inherited Clinton medical privacy rules
(Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information)
  U.S. Supreme Court Open records request wins unanimous approval
(Department of the Interior v. Klamath Water Users Protective Association)
  OHIO Newspaper wins right to inspect a clean incident report
(State ex rel. Beacon Journal Publishing Co. v. Maurer)
  WASHINGTON, D.C. Secret air bag design data defeat public’s safety interest
(Center for Auto Safety v. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
  Ninth Circuit City must disclose details about drug-smuggling cops
(Lissner v. U.S. Customs Service)
  ANALYSIS One opinion spoils spirit of federal access law

Confidentiality
  FEATURE Aiding police presents a credibility liability
  ROUNDUP Journalists successfully exercise privilege in courts

Newsgathering
  FEATURE The Pentagon Papers, 30 years later
  Feature Execution witnesses fight to see the entire procedure
  TEXAS An AP reporter’s tally: witness to 200 executions
  ROUNDUP Reporters on the job continue to encounter official roadblocks

Prior Restraints & Secret Courts
  FEATURE Librarians, libertarians lead opposition to law requiring filters for public computers
  SIDEBAR American Library Association statement on library use of filtering software
  Ninth Circuit Letters from criminal defendant open to newspaper
(United States v. McClatchy Newspapers, Inc.)
  Illinois Rule for prosecutors keeps public comment to a minimum
(Devine v. Robinson)

Legislative Update
  ROUNDUP Legislative Update

  HOTLINE From the hotline

  - Open & Shut

  - Sources & Citations