'Hit man' manual protected by First Amendment

Article Abstract:

A Maryland US District Court ruled in Rice v. Paladin Enterprises that Paladin's publication of the book "Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors" was deserving of First Amendment protection because it did not fall within any of the exceptions. The families of three people killed by a man who bought and used the book sued the publisher for wrongful death. The Court found that the incitement to imminent unlawful action exception to free speech protection did not apply because the book did not encourage a specific group to act and the killer waited a year before acting.

Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors (Book)

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Prison ban on media interviews upheld

Article Abstract:

The US District Court in St. Louis, MO, ruled in Sidebottom v. Schriro that the Missouri Department of Corrections could impose a temporary ban on face-to-face interviews with prisoners. The policy was questioned by television station KNLC which was engaged in extensive interviewing of inmates. The Court found that the restriction was reasonable, that prison officials were in a position to know safety concerns, and that alternatives means, such as mail and phone calls, were still available. KNLC's appeal of the decision was made moot by a subsequent change in policy.

Laws, regulations and rules, Media coverage, Prisoners, Journalism

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