Journalistic heavy hitters lent support Monday to an effort to toss out a prosecutors’ subpoena for notes, grades and other materials from Northwestern University journalism students, an investigator and their professor in connection with the case of a man the students argue was wrongfully convicted.
The Cook County state’s attorney’s office also subpoenaed videos, grading criteria and more from a Medill Innocence Project investigation into the case of Anthony McKinney, convicted of the 1978 shotgun murder of a Harvey security guard.
Attorneys for the school have fought the subpoena, saying the students, professor David Protess and private investigator Sergio Serritella were all working as journalists when they gathered affidavits, documents and videotaped interviews.
An attorney representing the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, the Chicago Sun-Times, CBS News, the Washington Post and the Hearst Corp. — in addition to a dozen more newsgathering organizations — filed a brief in Cook County Circuit Court opposing the the forced surrender of the material.
“I think the point of the [filing] is to explain to the court the importance that a large number of journalism organizations give to the position that Northwestern and Mr. Protess are taking here,” said the media group’s attorney, David Sanders of the Chicago-based firmof Jenner and Block. “These are important issues.”
In November, the state’s attorney’s office filed documents in the case laying out allegations by various witnesses of bribery and improper influence exerted on the part of the Medill Innocence Project. The students, Protess and Serritella all deny the accusations.
In response to that November filing, attorneys for Northwestern University filed yet another brief today in support of the judge throwing out the subpoena.
Protess, the Northwestern professor who created the Medill Innocence Project, said he was pleased to have backing for his argument that reporter shield laws protect his students.
“We received support from the national media as well as our friends in the local media for the positions we’ve taken all along,” Protess said after Judge Diane Gordon Cannon ruled that she would accept the amicus, or friend of the court, briefs.
Also filed Monday was a support brief by organizations including the Student Press Law Center and the Society of Professional Journalists. Erin Bolan Hines, of the Chicago-based firm of Baker and Hostetler, represented student groups who also oppose the release of the Medill Innocence Project information.
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In case you missed it …
Early voting officially has begun in Illinois and runs through Jan. 28.
In Chicago, elections officials are offering 51 sites for people to vote, while Cook County election officials will have 43 sites for suburban voters, including one in downtown Chicago.
Voters should contact their local election officials for locations and times that early voting will be made available. Links to the Web sites are available at tr.im/K6Tp.
