MC 3080 Chapter : Module 4 CBs
Document Summary
Case: saxbe v. washinton post 417 u. s. 843 (1976) Summary: the washington post asked for several interviews with inmates in prisons at lewisburg, pennsylvania, and danbury, connecticut regarding allegations that inmates had been punished for going on strike. The paper was denied the interviews due to the federal bureau of prisons policy statement 1220. 1a, which prohibits any interviews between reporters and federal inmates. The paper claimed that this violated their first amendment rights. The district court agreed with the paper, as did the court of appeals. Decision: (vote 5-4) no, court of appeals decision was reversed. The media do not have any special right of access to facilities not open to the general public. The press is allowed to conduct brief interviews with inmates he or she encounters during a prison tour and is permitted unlimited written correspondence. The letters are not read, so the federal bureau of prisons is not attempting to conceal anything from the public.
