U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton
said on Tuesday that he would hold former USA Today reporter Toni Locy in
contempt of court in case she still refuses to identify her sources related to
a bunch of stories about a former Army scientist under scrutiny in the 2001
anthrax attacks. The federal judge said that the former USA Today reporter had already
defied the previous order he had given in August 2007 and she did not cooperate
with Steven J. Hatfill in his suit against the government.
The judge also added that he
would have to impose a fine until Toni Locy divulged her sources for the stories;
still, he decided to take a few more days to decide whether to postpone the
penalty as Locy pursues an appeal.
U.S. District Judge said that he was
also thinking whether to find James Stewart, a former CBS reporter, in
contempt.
"I will order she provide
the sources of information," said U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton
during the hearing, despite Locy’s disagreement. The judge said that the amount
of the fine he might give to Toni Locy would be $500 each day for the first
week, $1,000 each day starting with the second week and then $5,000 each day
for the third week.
"I'm very concerned about
the ramifications of the judge's decision for reporters everywhere," said
Toni Locy, who wrote about Steven J. Hatfill while she was working for USA
Today. Locy now teaches journalism at West Virginia University.
"How can we hold the FBI
accountable for the quality of its work, as Dr. Hatfill wanted us to do, if we
cannot cover investigations until someone is charged, convicted and sentenced,”
Toni Locy asked.
|
