Monday, January 30, 2012

A young orphan from Germantown, N.Y. was apprenticed to a printer in New York. He later started his own news paper. In his paper he printed something the Royal Governor did not like. The Governor had him arrested and had the public hangman burn his paper. Later at his trial in Philadelphia he was found not guilty because what he wrote was true. That established freedom on the press back in the 1730's.

Today freedom of speech is in danger. Lawyers tell the press they can be sued in some cases if they name real people. In some cases newspapers decline to print facts even if they are true.

My son was arrested and indicted for arson. The Grand Jury was presented testimony very different from what actual happened. The problem with the Grand Jury is there is no cross examination and what is said is kept secret until the indictment is handed down. Our local papers published pictures of my son in hand cuffs with a policeman on each arm. They wrote an extensive article on pyromania. They wrote about his arrest but did not cover events well when it ended. The District Attorney found he could not win and dropped the case for failure to go forward. The problem was then covered-up so my son was never cleared of the crime. .

My son and I presented affidavits to the paper telling the facts that are very different from what was presented to the Grand Jury. I wished to pay the paper to publish the affidavits but they refused to publish them on advice from their lawyer. My question is if by refusing to publish our affidavits are they taking part in the cover-up and can they be sued?

Grant Langdon

Penfield, NY

585-388-4303