(AP)
Under pressure from the U.S. Supreme Court, the judge in the Kobe Bryant
sexual assault case indicated Tuesday he may release edited copies of trans-
cripts from a closed-door hearing that were accidentally e-mailed to reporters.
District Judge Terry Ruckriegle ordered prosecutors and defense attorneys to
work together on proposed deletions and submit a document to him by late Tues-
day afternoon.
He did not indicate whether or when he would release the edited documents
from a June hearing at the center of a First Amendment legal fight.
The order came less than a day after U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen
Breyer rejected a media request to overturn Ruckriegle's order threatening con-
tempt of court for any news organization that releases the transcripts, which
include discussion of the accuser's sex life.
The documents were mistakenly sent to seven news organizations, including
The Associated Press. None has published the details, but they contend Ruck-
riegle's order barring them from doing so is an unconstitutional restraint of
a free press.
Breyer said the news organizations could refile their appeal as early as
Wednesday and he hinted that Ruckriegle should act.
"I recognize the importance of the constitutional interests at issue," Breyer
wrote. "But a brief delay will permit the state courts to clarify, perhaps
avoid, the controversy at issue here."
Besides the AP, organizations involved in the transcripts case are The Denver
Post, the Los Angeles Times, CBS, Fox News, ESPN and the television show "Cele-
brity Justice."
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 61.228.205.45