Florida Judge Gags Sheriff, Others in Teen Beating Case

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A judge in Florida’s Polk County barred the sheriff and others involved in the investigation of the videotaped beating of a teenager from discussing the case publicly. Judge James Franklin said the sheriff’s office had already released “a barrage of inflammatory” information about the case in which eight people have been arrested. Lawyers for area media said the ruling was premature and would effectively stop the flow of all information to the public about the crime. (4/10/08)