Missouri Prosecutor Issues Subpoena To Reporters Demanding Emails They Had With Her Ex-Husband
from the abuse-of-power? dept
The story of Russ Faria is already fairly bizarre. Convicted of killing his wife, he was just granted a retrial after a news investigation by the St. Louis Post Dispatch and the local Fox affiliate turned up serious questions about the original prosecution and newly discovered evidence that was not presented at the original trial. But that's not what caught my attention about the story. It appears that just before the judge was going to decide whether or not there would be a new trial, the prosecutor in the case, Leah Askey, issued subpoenas to the two main journalists involved in the investigation, demanding all texts and emails between them and Askey's ex-husband.The full story is super confusing, but it appears to involve allegations that one of the witnesses used against Faria has been accused, by some, of actually having an affair with Askey:
The appeals court also mentioned an allegation that Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney Leah Askey was having an undisclosed romance with a police officer who testified against Faria.The reporters in question, Robert Patrick from the St. Louis Post Dispatch and Chris Hayes from the Fox 2 affiliate had to get their lawyers involved to try to quash the subpoenas:
Askey has denied having a relationship with the married officer, and issued subpoenas for Friday’s hearing lining up witnesses who include her ex-husband, stepbrother, a handwriting expert and two news reporters. She also had listed herself as a witness, until a defense attorney suggested that she be removed from the case for doing so.
Subpoenas for testimony and documents also were served on reporters Chris Hayes of Fox 2 News and Robert Patrick of the Post-Dispatch, who worked together on investigating the Faria trial and civil litigation by Betsy Faria’s daughters against Hupp.You think? Isn't there a massive conflict of interest when a prosecutor who is being accused of questionable conduct in a case uses her power as a prosecutor to not just issue subpoenas over reporters' sources, but especially when some of those sources are her own ex-husband? Wouldn't standard practice be to immediately recuse yourself from the situation due to the incredibly obvious conflict of interest?
Lawyers for both reporters filed motions, still pending, to quash the subpoenas as a violation of the First Amendment, Missouri Constitution and common law “reporter’s privilege.” The motions also say that there “is strong reason to believe” the subpoenas were issued “with the intent to stifle critics.”
After granting the new trial, Askey apparently asked the judge if it had anything to do with the reports of her own relationship with the witness, and the judge said it was about the other evidence. The witness in question had been called to the stand and denied any such relationship.
Askey was the first to raise the romance issue in court Friday. It was settled when the investigator took the witness stand and denied any romantic relationship.So it appears the issue involving her ex-husband and the reporters has likely been put to rest, but still, it should raise serious questions about why no one stepped in to prevent it from happening in the first place.
After Ohmer announced his decision to give Faria a new trial, Askey asked whether he was basing that decision solely on the Hupp material or whether he had found any evidence supporting the relationship.
“I did not. I did not touch that,” he said, saying that the only issue was Hupp.
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Filed Under: chris hayes, journalism, leah askey, lincoln county, missouri, reporting, robert patrick, russ faria, scandal, subpoena
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Personally, *I* wouldn't serve a subpoena on a Terminator....
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And with that particular terminator, how could you be sure you had the right one?
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If only prosecutors were valued based upon quality rather than quantity.
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Herself?
Holy... what the... the prosecutor tried to testify in the case she was prosecuting?? She should be considered for removal from office, not just this case. She's either incredibly corrupt, or incredibly stupid, or both.
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So subpoena of their emails is "silencing" critics? Seems to me FORCED to speak!
There'll be a NEW trial. Michael Masnick doesn't need to concern himself or readers because will be plenty of opportunities for any revelations.
Besides, you relate that this prosecutor directly brought up questions about self "and the judge said it was about the other evidence."
This is just that Masnick, who's only read reports and admits is "super-confusing", is DESPERATE for a story! He could pick something current TECH about Apple's new PAY for music, or Disney's record profits, or anything Google, but this TINY bit of possible DIRT is safe.
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She'll make an excellent attorney general
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Malicious Prosecution
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Why isn't Lincoln County Firing Askey?
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Lincoln County is Scary
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Leah Askey deserves to be fired immediately
Perhaps the husband KNEW of her dirty dealings and he was just
Not in the position or too emotionally upset by her AFFAIRS, to come forward with her misconduct at the time. Hopefully someone tells the truth here and Russ will stay a free man, Leah Askey will be DISBARRED,Pam Hupp will get ARRESTED like she should have been in the FIRST PLACE, and these families can move on with their lives. Leah Askey is what's wrong with our Criminal Justice system.. A blood thirst for power, position and money. Remove her from Office. I suggest EVERYONE reading this writes to the Atty General themselves asking for Leah Askey to be disbarred!!! Get one corrupt PA out of our courts, We can make a difference. Only when true Justice is served will the Faria family be able to move forward in peace. DISBAR LEAH ASKEY!!!
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Russ Faria new trial
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Arrest Askey for her role in sending an innocent man to jail and
Misery!!! Get rid of the Loncoln County Judge that allowed this and let
The Attorney General CLEAN HOUSE!!! Lincoln County
Residents should be DEMANDING THIS!!! After
All of this and the other cases overturned.. There is something
Very ROTTEN IN LINCOLN COUNTY JUSTICE SYSTEM!!!
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The cops and Askey blatantly coached and fed the real killer Pam a story and a way to not look guilty. My jaw is still dropping from the what police and prosecutor's stated happened and how. Wow.
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Prosecutor NEEDS TO GO TO JAIL!!!
Ms Askey has went in with her life as if nothing is going on
After putting an innocent man in PRISON? Let Ms Askey pay for her
Criminal negligence in not looking at the real suspect!!
Perhaps with the new story that Pam Hupp brought a sack of cash to the
Office of Ms Askey, don't you wonder if MS ASKEY took cash?
Look in the records people ASKEY is in financial trouble she has property that was almost sold on the courthouse stairs!!! Come on doesn't this SCREAM of a coverup? Something is fishy... Check the money trail and subpoena Askey's financial transactions around the same time Hupp brought the "sack of cash"!!! Why aren't people DIGGING into Askey MORE? Take your blinders off people Lincoln County is FULL of crooks!
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Leah Askey should be disbarred
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INEPT PROSECUTOR LEAH ASKEY & KILLER PAM HUPP
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INEPT PROSECUTOR LEAH ASKEY & KILLER PAM HUPP
EVERYONE knows that this women (PAM HUPP) killed Betsy BUT the stupid prosecutor won't charge her because the prosecutor was so narrow-minded and focused on the husband, that she looked past this killer and used her as her "star witness."
Now, the stupid prosecutor wants to save face and is willing to let the REAL KILLER go free -- just to save face! Such B.S.!!!
The State needs to step in because this PATHETIC prosecutor is biased and won't do the right thing because it will expose her to be the IDIOT that she is .... WE CAN'T LET THIS WOMAN GET AWAY WITH MURDER.
An online campaign has to be started to get justice for Betsy, her husband, and her kids. Pam Hupp is PURE EVIL and needs to spend the rest of her life in prison.
Reminds me of the ex-wife DANA CHANDLER who drove from Colorado to Kansas; hid in the closet with a bottle of wine; and killer her ex-husband & his new wife and everyone knew she did it -- but it took YEARS to finally convict her.
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Leah Askey
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askey-lange affair, faria trial
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Corrupted prosecutors
Arrogant, hateful, and sinister. Just a few words to describe what's required to be a prosector. Trust me I know first hand my family and I are dealing with some (dealing as in associated with) not like dealing marijuana. I didn't want that word to be misconstrued. Good luck to the reporters hopefully you'll find lawyers that will work for you not against you.
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