From the Minnesota Pro Chapter:

PRESS RELEASE

January 18, 2007

Contact: Art Hughes

Minnesota SPJ President

cell: 612-280-0560

The Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists strongly opposes efforts by the Blue Earth County Attorney to obtain notes and testimony from an editor and two reporters at the Mankato Free Press.

The events in Amboy are unquestionably tragic. We join with everyone else wishing a full recovery of officers Rob Sadusky and Chris Nelson. We offer their families our best wishes during what we can only guess is a frightening and difficult time. In addition, it tears at the fabric of society when law enforcement officers are hurt while protecting the public.

But no tragedy is justification for trampling the constitutional provisions provided to maintain a free and independent press. It’s in the public’s best interest for the press to maintain a clear separation from law enforcement in order to effectively fulfill the role of independent conveyer of information.

The Minnesota Free Flow of Information Act clearly protects unpublished information whether or not it identifies a source.

SPJ believes the county attorney has not disclosed a compelling and overriding interest required for disclosure, nor has he demonstrated the information he seeks cannot be obtained elsewhere. These are basic tenets the people of Minnesota have demanded be met from those who challenge the First Amendment protections for journalists.