Liberty County grand jurors upset probe was halted early

Disbanded a month before their term was scheduled to end last year, members of a Liberty County grand jury investigating that county’s officials want to know why they were taken off the case, according to the foreman. “We have heard person after person describe unacceptable practices and questionable activities that reek of fraud, collusion, selective investigation and prosecution, and abuse of office personnel and resources by county officials and employees,” James Smith wrote in a letter to several judges in December. “We demand an explanation of what is going on here.” The grand jury that Smith presided over began hearing cases in July and was scheduled to run until Dec. Continue reading

Academics take issue with Guardian editorial on press regulation

Lest it gets overlooked, the letters page in today's Guardian carries this riposte, Guardian 'surrender' on self-regulation , to an editorial published on Friday, Leveson inquiry: prejudging the judge . Here is the letter, which was signed by 20 academics… We are disappointed that the Guardian now appears to accept the “merit” of the new system of press self-regulation being proposed by David … Continue reading