Press-related prosecutions under the Espionage Act
Legal filings in Espionage Act prosecutions of individuals accused of disclosing information to the press and public
This Reading Room contains key court filings related to all Espionage Act prosecutions of those accused of disclosing information to the press or to the general public. Passed more than a century ago, the Espionage Act has long been used by the government to prosecute whistleblowers for disclosing information to the press. Recently, there has been an uptick in these prosecutions under the Obama and Trump administrations, which have charged more whistleblowers under the Espionage Act than all prior administrations combined. For an interactive graph and chart of all press-related prosecutions under the Espionage Act, click here.
Showing 101–110 of 180
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Appellate Ct. Op., United States v. Sterling, 724 F.3d 482 (4th Cir. 2013)
Fourth Circuit's opinion holding that there was no First Amendment reporter's privilege protecting Risen from being compelled to testify and there was no federal common-law reporter's privilege.
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Criminal Compl. re: Edward Snowden, United States v. Snowden, No. 1:13-cr-265 (E.D. Va. June 14, 2013)
Criminal complaint charging Snowden under Sections 793(d) and 798(a)(3) of the Espionage Act.
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Gov't Opp'n re: Hitselberger Mot. to Dismiss re: Counts One, Two, and Three, United States v. Hitselberger, No. 1:12-cr-00231 (D.D.C. Apr. 5, 2013)
Government's opposition re: Hitselberger's motion to dimiss re: Counts One, Two, and Three of the indictment.
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Hitselberger Mot. to Dismiss re: Counts One, Two, and Three, United States v. Hitselberger, No. 1:12-cr-00231 (D.D.C. Mar. 1, 2013)
Hitselberger's motion to dismiss Counts One, Two, and Three of the indictment because Section 793(e) of the Espionage Act is unconstitutionally vague as applied.
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Indictment re: James Hitselberger, United States v. Hitselberger, No. 1:12-cr-00231 (D.D.C. Feb. 28, 2013)
Grand jury indictment charging Hitselberger under Section 793(e) of the Espionage Act.
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Judgment re: John Kiriakou, United States v. Kiriakou, No. 1:10-cr-00127 (E.D. Va. Jan. 25, 2013)
Judgment accepting Kiriakou's guilty plea under 50 U.S.C. § 421 and sentencing Kiriakou to 30 months in prison.
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Plea Agreement re: John Kiriakou, United States v. Kiriakou, No. 1:12-cr-00127 (E.D. Va. Oct. 23, 2012)
Kiriakou's plea agreement.
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Tr. re: Kiriakou Plea Hearing, United States v. Kiriakou, No. 1:12-cr-00127 (E.D. Va. held Oct. 23, 2012, filed Jan. 11, 2013)
Transcript of Kiriakou's plea hearing.
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District Ct. Op., United States v. Kiriakou, No. 1:12-cr-00127 (E.D. Va. Oct. 16, 2012)
District court's opinion explaining its prior denial of Kiriakou's motion to compel production of documents, holding that those documents were not relevant because the scienter elements of Section 793(d) do not support Kiriakou's argument that he may raise a good-faith defense to his charges under the Espionage Act.
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Kiriakou Mot. to Compel, United States v. Kiriakou, No. 1:12-cr-00127 (E.D. Va. filed under seal Sept. 14, 2012, cleared for release Oct. 11, 2012)
Kiriakou's motion to compel production of certain categories of documents to aid in his defense.