Student journalists suggest convict's innocence, state subpoenas student records
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A group of Northwestern University students recently uncovered evidence that could prove the innocence of a convicted man held in prison for 31 years, and now the college is contesting state prosecutors’ demands for the students’ grades, grading criteria, evaluations of performance, personal emails to peers and professors, course materials, off-the-record interviews, unpublished student memos, expenses incurred during the investigation, and class syllabus.
The journalism students are part of The Innocence Project, a renowned course taught by David Protess (pictured) at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. As a result of the young journalists’ efforts, Anthony McKinley won a new day in court to fight off charges of killing a security guard in 1978. The students have already handed over on-the-record interviews with witnesses and copies of the audio and video tapes.
Northwestern has been resisting the subpoena, citing the students' protection under the Reporter’s Privilege Act and arguing that academic history is irrelevant to the case. “I don’t think it’s any of the state's business to know the state of mind of my students,” Protess said, in a Chicago Tribune article. “Prosecutors should be more concerned with the wrongful conviction of Anthony McKinney than with my students’ grades.”
Do you think it's right that Cook County prosecutors force such information from the students? Is it sound reasoning that grades could have incentivized the students' findings and thus skewed the case? Should their journalistic work be protected under the Reporter's Privilege Act?
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By Noelle Chun
Comments (6)
theyre wrong for wanting the information - is it sound reasoning to think a paycheck is an incentive for 'real' reporters and thus skewed the case? regardless of their professional status they are doing journalistic work therefore it should be covered under the act.
The Innocence Project's record on this kind of thing is excellent and quite admirable. This is a case where Cook County prosecutors are trying to smear the reputation of those who uncovered the information that may lead to the overturning of their conviction. This is fishing expedition, pure and simple--and the privilege law is absolutely meant to prevent this kind of chilling prosecutorial move against journalists from happening.
Because it's always easier to blame those who uncover the potential truth, than to defend the merits of their case.
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