08/01/08 Judge John Kavanewsky Jr Would Be A fool To Try And Weaken Connecticut's 2006 shield law.

The Dinner Time Bandit May Go Free, Because David I. Cohen, the State's Attorney, did not properly evaluate the case delivered by the Greenwich Police Department

The States Attorney is making a desperation move to save the poorly investigated case by trying to get an Associated Press reporter to testify against the Dinnertime Bandit in violation of Connecticut's 2006 shield law.

Greenwich Police Department Apparently Has Delivered The Connecticut States Attorney Office A Very Weak Case Against The Dinner Time Bandit.

First there was the bad line up and then the witness could not identify the accused in the court room.

Now the States attorney is telling judge John Kavanewsky Jr that a reporter holds information critical to their case, and that the information can be obtained from no other source.

This sounds like the Connecticut States Attorneys Office is trying to violate the Connecticut's 2006 reporter shield law, because of incomplete or bad police investigative work.

What could possibly be in Associated Press Reporter John Christoffersen's story that could not be can be obtained or verified from another source.

judge John Kavanewsky Jr had better tell the Connecticut States Attorney to have the Greenwich Police Department to hit the bricks and uncover another source.

Otherwise Judge Kavanewsky is going to find his overturned decission in featured in law school text books.

Society demands, wants and needs somebody watching the government that rules over us,

A vigilant press will hep ensure that there is not simply someone at the Greenwich Police Department or at David I. Cohen's office making unilateral decisions.

A free and vigilant press helps protect our civil liberties and our safety.

The overriding public interest is to have a free press that holds governmental, law enforcement and prosecuting agencies accountable to the public, without fear of being prosecuted or being required to give up whistle blowers.

The Conneticut States Attorney is just as stupid as he looks if he believes that be is going to be successful in challenging Connecticut's 2006 shield law over a burglar.

David I Cohn is a moron to think that judge John Kavanewsky Jr will not protect a Free Press and abide by the Constitutions of the State of Connetitcut and the Unitted States Of America.

That is not a conservative or liberal issue — (although) ironically it is a very conservative issue in the sense that we are being true to the principles of our founding fathers and the essence of what makes us a free society.

judge John Kavanewsky Jr job is ensurie that whistle-blowers can blow the whistle.

Newspapering is a mission that predates our country and help give birth to this great nation.

It is essential that we have reporters like John Christoffersen inform an active citizenry without the fear that he our his sources will be maliciously prosecuted by the Conneticut States Attorney's Office.

Weakening Connecticut's 2006 shield law is a greater threat to society than the dinner time bandit will ever be.

Conn. prosecutor seeks subpoena of reporter

WTNH

Stamford (AP) -- A Connecticut judge will decide whether prosecutors can subpoena an Associated Press reporter who conducted a jailhouse interview of the man police accuse of being the "dinnertime bandit."

Prosecutors on Friday asked Stamford Superior Judge John Kavanewsky Jr. to allow them to question AP correspondent John Christoffersen about his interview with Alan Golder in February.

Golder is accused of a series of spectacular burglaries in 1996 and 1997 of several wealthy homes in Greenwich and Darien. He's facing 10 charges in connection with the case, including kidnapping, larceny, and burglary.

Prosecutors say Christoffersen's testimony and notes are critical to their case. The AP is opposing the request. AP attorneys say Christoffersen interviewed Golder about his previous convictions, not his pending charges.

The request is one of the first challenges to Connecticut's 2006 shield law, considered to be one of the strongest in the nation. Before obtaining the subpoena, prosecutors must convince a judge that a reporter holds information critical to their case, that the information can be obtained from no other source, and that there is an overriding public interest.

For more information please see:

Media Law: Connecticut passes reporter shield law

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