Free Republic

Nearly a year after the ambush hit on a St. Augustine father after dropping off two of his children to his ex-wife in Jacksonville Beach, Police Chief Gene Paul Smith announced an arrest of a 61-year-old felon. But State Attorney Melissa Nelson said he did not act alone in the death of 33-year-old Jared Bridegan. Henry Arthur Tenon, 61, was charged Wednesday with conspiracy to commit murder, second-degree murder with a weapon, accessory to the fact to a capital felony and child abuse, Smith and Nelson said.

What is significant is that Corey reaches out with allegations of libel and the implied if not explicit threat of legal action towards critics. Corey thereby interjects her personal interests in her reputation into her public role as prosecutor with all the power of the state behind her. Littlepage, in a column today, suggests that Corey has tried to intimidate other critics as well. Someone in a position of authority in Florida needs to look into this situation, and determine whether Corey’s actions in confronting critics with implied if not explicit threats of libel suits have crossed a line.

Morris Publishing Group LLC, the parent company of the Florida Times-Union, has hired a financial adviser that specializes in helping newspaper chains in or near bankruptcy. Lazard Freres & Co. LLC will assist the company in evaluating its capital structure options, according to a press release issued by the company. Lazard Freres also works for the Tribune Co., the owner of the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune, among others, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December, and the Journal Register Co. (NYSE: JRC), which owns the New Haven Register. Morris Publishing, an affiliate of Augusta, Ga.-based...

An editorial cartoon in last Friday's Florida Times-Union depicting a gunman wearing a T-shirt saying "Don't Snitch" continues to draw criticism, with some black leaders calling for an apology, the firing of the cartoonist and other demands, according to a WJXT-TV report in Jacksonville. Two young children drawn in the cartoon say "I didn't see nuttin'!" Then the gunman says, "Now that's a good little ho! In a letter sent to all Jacksonville television stations as well as the newspaper, the Jacksonville Leadership Coalition called the cartoon "racist, culturally insensitive and degrading to African-American women." In addition to the apology,...