Alabama Newspaper Publisher and Reporter Arrested as District Attorney Disregards U.S. Constitution
Last week, a newspaper publisher and reporter from Alabama, Sherry Digmon and Don Fletcher, were arrested and charged with disclosing grand jury evidence in an article, sparking concerns about First Amendment rights. Escambia County District Attorney Stephen Billy brought felony charges against them based on an article published by Atmore News on October 25. The article revealed Mr. Billy’s investigation into the local school board’s handling of federal coronavirus relief funds and cited documents obtained by the newspaper. The source of these documents was unclear.
Ms. Digmon, who is not only the publisher of Atmore News but also a member of the school board, was indicted on two ethics violations related to her dual roles. The charges accused her of using her position to sell ads in Atmore Magazine and to solicit paid ads from school system subordinates, resulting in a “financial gain” of over $2,500.
Press freedom advocates argue that newspapers are free to publish information about grand jury investigations as long as they obtain it legally. They assert that the First Amendment protects the right to report on matters of public concern. The National Press Club has called on local authorities to drop the charges against Ms. Digmon and Mr. Fletcher.
Stephen Billy, the District Attorney, stated that revealing grand jury information is not allowed and can harm innocent people. Lawyers for Ms. Digmon and Mr. Fletcher labeled the charges as politically motivated, citing their actions against the superintendent’s contract renewal, which was publicly supported by Mr. Billy.
The case in Alabama follows a similar incident in Kansas, where authorities searched the office of The Marion County Record and the homes of its editor and a city councilwoman, collecting materials related to a local restaurateur’s privacy violation. Subsequently, it was found that there was insufficient evidence to support the raid, and the seized materials would be returned.
Anthony L. Fargo, director of the Center for International Media Law and Policy Studies at Indiana University, expressed concerns about these actions by authorities, emphasizing the importance of defending press freedom and opposing actions targeting the messenger.
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