|
Five Journalists receive First
Amendment Award
HARTFORD – Five journalists were honored at the State Supreme Court Tuesday
for outstanding coverage of the state courts. This year, journalists from the Stamford
Advocate, Hartford Courant, Danbury News Times and Hartford Advocate received the annual
First Amendment Award for Excellence in Judicial Reporting.
The award was established by the Judicial Branch last year to recognize the essential
role that journalists fulfill in making the public aware of the work of the courts.
"The award and selection process was not designed to reward news professionals for
stories that are flattering to the Judicial Branch," Chief Justice Robert J. Callahan
said. " To the contrary, the selection process ensures that only well-written and
documented articles or editorials that effectively inform our citizens of the role of our
courts receive recognition."
This year, the awards selection committee selected the best entries in the following
four categories: Commentary, Spot News, Enterprise News and Continuing News Coverage.
This year’s recipients and their winning entries are:
Commentary:
Joy Haenlien, The Stamford Advocate: "Need to Examine Death Penalty
Fairness," June 16, 1998.
Spot News:
Lynne Tuohy , The Hartford Courant: "23-Year-Old Greenwich Investigation
Gets Boost," June 18, 1998.
Edmund Mahony, The Hartford Courant, "Convict Signs Pact for Quick Death
Penalty" March 12, 1998.
Enterprise News:
Jayne Keedle of the Hartford Advocate, "The Truth Could Set Them
Free," October 22, 1998.
Continuing Coverage:
Karen Ali, the Danbury News Times, ongoing coverage of the Ferguson murder
trial, early 1998.
A panel comprised of representatives of the media, legal, judicial and higher education
communities evaluates the entries. The panelists for the 1999 award were Judge Aaron Ment
of the Connecticut Judicial Branch; Professor Jerry Dunklee, President of the Connecticut
Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists; Maureen Croteau, Chairperson of the
University of Connecticut Journalism Department; Professor Leslie Levin of the University
of Connecticut School of Law; Attorney Ethel Sorokin, President of the Center for First
Amendment Rights; and Chris Blake, Director of Communications for the Connecticut Bar
Association.
-- 30 --
|
