(US) Federal Judge Bars Journalist From Covering the Haitian Prime Minister

[Mika]

Federal Judge Bars Journalist From Covering the Haitian Prime Minister
http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2013-04-04/news/federal-judge-bars-newspaper-from-covering-the-haitian-prime-minister/

On February 6, in the federal courthouse in Miami, District Judge Ursula Ungaro handed down a ruling that would dismay law experts across the region. In a defamation lawsuit filed by Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe of Haiti against the American editor and owner of the Haiti Observateur newspaper, Ungaro banned the editor from printing Lamothe's name following a "scandalous" article. Ungaro declared Leo Joseph was "permanently restrained from publishing communications regarding [Lamothe] in either [his] professional, personal or political life."

Miami attorney Sandy Bohrer, who practices libel law and represents both New Times and the Miami Herald, was mystified. "There isn't precedent for this decision," he said. "I've just never heard of anything like it." The First Amendment and libel laws generally give publishers wide latitude to write about public figures.

And though Joseph is now fighting Ungaro's judgment, he says it could vanquish the controversial paper, which has its highest readership in South Florida. "Maybe this will end us," said the 74-year-old Joseph, gray-haired and irascible.

[Judi Lynn]

1. Thanks for posting this article.Going to read the rest of it later this evening. Interesting.n/t

[naaman fletcher]

2. Stunning,

This should get overturned though. Spread the word. There are some great first amendment lawyers in Florida.