Reporter found in contempt

A reporter for the Belleville News-Democrat was held in contempt after he refused to provide testimony to Amiel Cueto in connection with a suit against the Chicago Tribune, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and others.

Last year, Cueto filed suit against the Illinois Civil Justice League and JUSTPAC, alleging that he was placed in a false light by a 2006 campaign advertisement against his brother, St. Clair County Circuit Judge Lloyd Cueto.

Amiel Cueto later amended his complaint and added the two newspapers as defendants after JUSTPAC noted that the statement in the campaign flyer challenged by Cueto had also appeared in numerous St. Louis Post-Dispatch news articles and in a 2003 Chicago Tribune editorial.