"We are deeply concerned by this violation of the First Amendment rights of these journalists"
November 2, 2023 | Source: Monroe Gallery of Photography
Via Associated Press: Newspaper publisher and reporter arrested and accused of revealing grand jury information
"In over 40 years of handling media law matters, Bailey said he had “never seen a reporter arrested for publishing truthful information about the existence of a grand jury subpoena.”
Committe To Protect Journalists: Alabama publisher, reporter arrested, charged with disclosing leaked information
“CPJ is outraged by the arrest of Atmore News publisher Sherry Digmon and reporter Don Fletcher and calls on local authorities to immediately drop all charges against them. They should not be prosecuted for simply doing their jobs and covering a matter of local interest, such as the allocation of school board funds,” said Katherine Jacobsen, CPJ’s U.S. and Canada program coordinator. “Journalists play a crucial role in their local communities. Arresting them creates a chilling effect and is a gross misuse of taxpayer funds.”
National Press Club: Press Club leaders condemn arrests of Alabama newspaper reporter and publisher
"Arresting journalists in response to the publication of a news article is contrary to democratic values. It should not happen anywhere in the world, and is especially concerning in the United States, where we have strong and well-established legal protections guaranteeing the freedom of the press."