I just got this

I just got this press release from the Committee to Protect Journalists …

New York, March 9, 2007— The Committee to Protect Journalists is disappointed that a freelance video blogger will remain in jail after a court-appointed arbitrator was unable to mediate a settlement that could have led to the journalist’s release. Joshua Wolf has spent 198 days in jail, the longest incarceration of a journalist in U.S. history, for refusing to provide the court with a videotape of a 2005 protest.

“We’re disappointed these talks have thus far failed to lead to the release of Joshua Wolf,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “There is no useful purpose in continuing to imprison this journalist.”

Wolf’s tape documents clashes between demonstrators and San Francisco police during a June 2005 protest by anarchists over a Group of 8 economic conference. One police officer was injured, and some protestors allegedly tried to set a police cruiser on fire. A federal grand jury is investigating the alleged crimes. U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup held Wolf in contempt of court and ordered him jailed on August 1. Wolf was briefly released on bail pending appeal but was ordered back to jail in September.

Last month, a federal judge appointed U.S. Magistrate Joseph Spero to arbitrate the dispute. Wolf’s attorney, Martin Garbus, had asked the judge to consider privately viewing the videotape to determine whether the contempt charges against Wolf could be dismissed.

Spero said in a court filing that four hours of negotiations on Thursday had failed to reach a settlement, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. He said he would consult with lawyers in the case as to whether to schedule another meeting. Wolf could remain in jail until July when the grand jury’s term expires.

Freelance writer Vanessa Leggett, who was jailed in 2001, had been the longest incarcerated U.S. journalist. Leggett spent 168 days behind bars in Texas for refusing to disclose to a federal grand jury her research and sources for a book she was writing on a murder trial.

Here’s a letter we received here at TPM on July 19th of last year from Wolf …

Tomorrow about this time, I will be in front of Judge William Alsup facing contempt in Federal Court. I am an independent video journalist who asserted my constitutional rights when commanded by the Federal Grand Jury to turn over the unedited tape of a protest that I shot on July 8th of last year.

The Federal Government is attempt to circumvent the California State Shield law through this grand jury proceeding, and their only claim to juridiction on this case is that an SFPD patrol vehicle was allegedly vandalized, and as the City gets some of it’s money from the Federal Government, the US feels that they have a legal and fiscal interest in this possible vandalism.

Supervisors Ross Mirkarimi and Chris Daly introduced a resolution yesterday to the Board of Supervisors that would establish that the City of SF opposes these actions of the US Government.

Please help publicize this issue for me, as I may be in jail tommorow afternoon and unable to continue speaking publicly about my case.

Thanks.

I have set-up a resource page with all the documents and media associated with my case at http://joshwolf.net/grandjury/

If you have any questions feel free to contact me via e-mail at mail@joshwolf.net or give me a call at (415)794-2401

Josh