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Article: Court Voids Restraint on Testimony Given to Grand Jury;Florida Law Permanently Barring Disclosure by Witness Is Found to Violate Freedom-of-Speech Guarantee
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- March 22, 1990
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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The Supreme Court ruled unanimously yesterday that grand jury
witnesses may not be barred permanently from disclosing their secret
testimony.
In an opinion by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, the court
said a Florida statute prohibiting grand jury witnesses from
discussing the "content, gist, or import" of their testimony, even
after the investigation is concluded, violates the First Amendment
guarantee of freedom of speech.
Fifteen other states have similar rules outlawing disclosure of
grand jury testimony. Of the remaining states, 21 exempt witnesses
from the secrecy obligation and 13 say nothing about the issue.
Rehnquist said Florida's interest in preserving the secrecy of
grand ...