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A House Divided: Earl Caldwell, The New York Times, And The Quest For A Testimonial Privilege, Eric B. Easton

Eric B Easton

In the 1972 case of Branzburg v. Hayes, the Supreme Court held that the First Amendment does not protect journalists who refuse to reveal their confidential sources or newsgathering product in response to a federal grand jury subpoena. That decision has remained vital for 35 years and has reverberated through a number of recent high-profile cases. Despite some form of protection in nearly every state court, reporters haled before a federal judge may have no recourse save prison. Devastating as Branzburg has been for the so-called “journalist’s privilege,” its negative impact has been far broader. Branzburg is one of Supreme …