Locy could face big legal fees in contempt case
Former USA Today reporter Toni Locy is facing potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees because of the contempt case against her, according to The Associated Press. Steven J. Hatfill sued the government for privacy invasion by naming him as a potential suspect in the anthrax scare, and he wanted Locy to testify to reveal her confidential sources when she reported about the anthrax. When she refused, a judge threatened to throw her in jail and pay up to $5,000 a day in fines. The contempt charge was deemed moot when Hatfill settled with the government, getting $5.8 million, but it appears he still wants Locy to pay his legal fees accrued during the duration of the legal battle when she wouldn't turn over her sources.
This continues to be a chilling case for the media, and demonstrates even more the need for a federal shield law.