Assignment 5 - Billy, 23, likes to hang out at the Slackerbunny Court House in Slackerbunny, Ind. He had a crush on one of the court reporters. At night, Billy updates his blog, The Slackerbunny Report. In it he reports on what is going on in the court house each day. One day Billy is approached by a person who says, "Billy, I like your Slackerbunny Report. I have some news for you, but you must promise to keep my identity a secret. If you don't I'll sue you for everything you own." Interested, Billy agrees. The source tells Billy about a videotape of a local celebrity who is suing the local newspaper for libel in a story about the celebrity being involved in a drug scandal. The source hands Billy the video. Billy watches the video. The video shows the local celebrity snorting cocaine. Billy writes in his blog that the local celebrity apparently does do drugs, and he has seen the video that proves it. Billy captures one frame of the video and puts it in his blog. The captured frame has the local celebrity with a $20 bill up her nose and a mirror with lines of coke in front of her. The judge and the defense lawyer in the local celebrity's case subpoena Billy for the tape and the name of the source. Billy refuses and is held in contempt of court. He is jailed and fined $100 a day until he gives up the tape and the name of the source.
Billy appeals the contempt of court charge. Write out how you would support Billy, the court and a compromise.
Facts: Billy has never practiced traditional journalism. He wasn't even a paperboy. The videotape would reveal the source if viewed. Slackerbunny is in Indiana.