[Ppnews] Statement of Josh Wolf, now freed

[Political Prisoner News]

Statement of Josh Wolf, Journalist, on his Freedom from Jail

http://www.prwatch.org/node/5922

Submitted by John Stauber on Tue, 04/03/2007 - 15:48.
Topics: <http://www.prwatch.org/taxonomy/term/141>Defend the Press | 
<http://www.prwatch.org/taxonomy/term/111>journalism

<http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Josh_Wolf>Josh Wolf, the 
video blogger and journalist, is going to be freed. Wolf was jailed 
on August 1, 2006 when he refused to testify or turn over unpublished 
video out-takes to a federal grand jury investigating a July, 2005 
anti-capitalist demonstration. The statement below was provided on 
Josh's behalf to the Center for Media and Democracy by Lisa Cohen. 
For more information contact Lisa Cohen at: lisa.cohen32 AT verizon.net

Statement from Josh Wolf:

"It took 226 days, but it was worth every second to get what I wanted 
from day one, which is that I will not have to testify before the 
grand jury about the events at the protest or the identities of 
participants. The demand for my testimony before the grand jury was 
the true assault on my code of ethics and, as I have stated 
previously, there will be, and has been no compromise to this 
resolute principle.

"Today, I posted the video footage to my web site 
<http://www.joshwolf.net/>www.joshwolf.net/ so that the public will 
have the opportunity to see that there is nothing of value in this 
unpublished footage. As there is no sensitive material on the tape, 
there was no reason to remain in prison, given the fact that I got 
what I wanted from day one - the right to protect journalists from 
having to testify before a grand jury.

"Until now, I had no assurances that publishing the video would lead 
to my release and furthermore had every indication that it would have 
the opposite result and indicate to the judge that the so-called 
coercive effect was working. That has changed.

"I do feel that my unpublished materials should be protected by a 
Federal Shield and moving forward, that is where I will focus my 
efforts. Journalist should have the right to be protected from 
testifying before a grand jury and I will not stop fighting until 
there is a law that protects us."

STATEMENT FROM DAVID GREENE, attorney:

Today, Josh got what he wanted from day one -- he will not have to 
testify before the grand jury about the events at the protest or the 
identities of participants.


The Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-9977
www.freedomarchives.org 
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