The Army had subpoenaed civilian journalists.
The Army had served notice that they were going to use force if necessary to compel some civilian journalists to say shit to incriminate LT Watada.
The Army prosecution backed down when they noticed that people were watching them.
Damn straight. That's what I'm talking about.
A few days earlier, I had written that the Army had attempted to wrongly subpoena American journalists to testify in a military commission, in my previous diary at dailykos.com.
The freedom of speech of every American wins the day. Army backs down from their bullshit attempts to push around civilian journalists. The Army eventually learned that their tricks were going to fall down when faced with American liberty, and that the Constitution would prevail when American civilians called them on the tricks they were up to.
Source: http://www.freepresswg.org/...
VICTORY! Journalist subpoenas dismissed!
Army prosecutors of Lt. Watada drop charges for speaking to the press
January 29, 2007 - Two charges of "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman" have been dropped by the Army—each of which carried a one year possible prison sentence for vocal Iraq War objector Lt. Ehren Watada. Both charges were based on interviews Lt. Watada held with independent journalist Sarah Olson and Greg Kakesako of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. In dropping these charges, and dismissing the subpoenas of these journalists, the Army has avoided a showdown with the Defend The Press coalition. Journalists were faced with six months in prison for contempt of a military court if they had not testified against their source, for charges solely based on political speech.
In response to her subpoena being dismissed, journalist Sarah Olson stated:
"This is obviously a great victory for the principles of a free press that are so essential to this nation. Personally, I am pleased that the Army no longer seeks my participation in their prosecution of Lieutenant Watada. Far more importantly, this should be seen as a victory for the rights of journalists in the U.S. to gather and disseminate news free from government intervention, and for the rights of individuals to express personal, political opinions to journalists without fear of retribution or censure. I am glad the growing number of dissenting voices within the military will retain their rights to speak with reporters. But I note with concern that Lt. Watada still faces prosecution for exercising his First Amendment rights during public presentations. However, the preservation of these rights clearly requires vigilance. Journalists are subpoenaed with an alarming frequency, and when they do not cooperate they are sometimes imprisoned. Videographer Josh Wolf has languished in federal prison for over 160 days, after refusing to give federal grand jury investigators his unpublished video out takes. It is clear that we must continue to demand that the separation between press and government be strong, and that the press be a platform for all perspectives, regardless of their popularity with the current administration."