ABC News

WIRE: 05/21/2001 10:56 am ET

High Court Protects Press From Eavesdropping Law

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday that the news media may not be held liable for disclosing the contents of telephone calls that have been illegally intercepted and recorded by someone else.

The high court, by a 6-3 vote, said free speech and freedom of the press protections under the First Amendment prevented such liability from being imposed under a federal wiretapping law designed to prevent the interception of private conversations.

Justice John Paul Stevens said for the court majority that when a publisher has lawfully obtained information from a source who has obtained it unlawfully, the government may not punish the ensuing publication.

He said a stranger's illegal conduct does not suffice to remove the First Amendment shield from speech about a matter of public concern.

The ruling was a setback for the U.S. Justice Department, which had defended the law aimed at protecting the privacy of telephone and other electronic conversations.

-- Anonymous, May 21, 2001