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Making news from an obscenity case's hiatus

By Mark Obbie

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Paula Reed Ward gets a gold star for curiosity, memory, and perseverance in this story about a case that federal prosecutors once bragged about but have seemingly deep-sixed. Ward traces the five-year history of an obscenity prosecution against Extreme Associates, a California pornographer. Even though the trial judge's dismissal of the case and the government's successful appeal overturning that decision consumed a good chunk of time, the case has languished inexplicably for a year -- until Ward called the judge's chambers to ask about the status of the case. Now a status conference is scheduled for next month. Prosecutors won't talk to Ward, and apparently neither will the judge. But Ward reports around those obstacles with experts, advocates, court records, and stats to provide a thorough context. The delay isn't definitely explained, but the story leaves little doubt that the government's passion for the case has cooled a great deal since the indictment was announced with a flourish. (Via Criminal Justice Journalists)

Full post as published by Lawbeat on August 26, 2008 (boomark / email).