Associated Press
A judge has ordered a Florida newspaper to remove transcripts of telephone conversations from a story on its website about a jailhouse “snitch” who has testified in numerous cases.
The order earlier this week from Palm Beach Circuit Judge Jack Schramm Cox says The Palm Beach Post’s publication of the transcripts violates Frederick Cobia‘s right to privacy.
The newspaper said in a story posted Tuesday that it has complied with the order but plans to appeal. First Amendment attorneys say the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled there are few instances were a judge can block a newspaper from publishing information.
The story, first published in October, detailed how Cobia bragged in the recordings about getting incriminating information from other jail inmates, including some accused of murder.
Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
