FC: Update on jailed journalist Paul Trumel, now in solitary

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

Previous Politech message:

"Replies to 'When anyone can publish, who's a journalist now?'"
http://www.politechbot.com/p-02474.html

This is an alarming course of events, and it looks to be an abuse of power 
on the part of King County Superior Court Judge James Doerty. I hope Paul 
has good counsel. Vicki Richman <vicric () vicric com> of the National Writers 
Union submitted a note to Politech last fall on the topic (link above) and 
noted that Paul could use donations to cover his legal fees.

-Declan

---

From: "John Cieciel" <uselesseater () msn com>
To: "dec" <declan () well com>
Subject: Seattle Weekly - news clips: Trummel in solitary
Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 13:24:04 -0500


<http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0222/nc-anderson2.shtml>http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0222/nc-anderson2.shtml 


---

Published May 30 - June 5, 2002

Trummel in solitary
BY RICK ANDERSON

NEWSLETTER AND Internet publisher Paul Trummel, whose February jailing 
prompted a flood of protests by journalists and others around the U.S., has 
now been dispatched to solitary confinement at King County Jail.

Trummel has been incarcerated since Feb. 27 by order of King County 
Superior Court Judge James Doerty for contempt of court after failing to 
permanently alter the accusatory language on his Web site.

According to supporters and his attorney, Trummel was sent to "The Hole," 
as one put it, last Thursday, May 23, as the result of a squabble over 
Trummel's phone privileges, which Judge Doerty apparently felt he was abusing.

The judge prohibited Trummel from using the phone except to call a public 
defender, says Seattle attorney Robert Siegel, who is handling Trummel's 
appeal in the contempt case.

"I am advised that since it was too hard for his jailers to monitor his 
phone use in regular prison, they then decided to put him in solitary to 
make it easier," says Siegel. "The situation is putting Paul's health and 
life at risk." Siegel says Trummel, 69, has arthritis and a prostate problem.

[...]




-------------------------------------------------------------------------
POLITECH -- Declan McCullagh's politics and technology mailing list
You may redistribute this message freely if you include this notice.
To subscribe to Politech: http://www.politechbot.com/info/subscribe.html
This message is archived at http://www.politechbot.com/
Declan McCullagh's photographs are at http://www.mccullagh.org/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Like Politech? Make a donation here: http://www.politechbot.com/donate/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------