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Recent Cases, Alan W. Duncan, Elton G. Snowden, William A. Holby, Joseph W. Gibbs

Vanderbilt Law Review

Constitutional Law -- Newsperson's Privilege - The First Amendment Guarantee of a Free Press Protects Against Compelled Disclosure of a Journalist's Exercise of Editorial Control and Judgment

Plaintiff, a former army officer who had achieved national prominence by claiming that his superiors ignored his reports of atrocities by American forces in Vietnam,' brought a libel suit against defendant television producer, reporter, and network for broadcasting a program that cast doubt upon plaintiff's allegations. Contending that defendant did not present available information corroborating plaintiff's claims, plaintiff sought discovery of the producer's beliefs, opinions, intent, and conclusions in preparing the program.

Alan …