Charleston paper can publish calls made by senator from jail
By The Associated Press Wednesday, May 07, 2008GREENWOOD, S.C. - A judge has ruled a Charleston newspaper can publish recordings of phone calls state Senator Randy Scott made from his jail cell after he was arrested on a driving under the influence charge.
The Post and Courier reports Circuit Judge James Williams rejected arguments Tuesday by Scott’s attorneys that publishing the tapes would keep the Summerville Republican from getting a fair trial.
The judge pointed out the tapes were already posted to several political blogs.
The newspaper posted the calls to its Web site Tuesday evening. It obtained the recordings through a Freedom of Information Act request.
On the tapes, Scott can be heard asking his wife to tell Magistrate Michael Londergan, a relative, to get to the jail right away to conduct a bond hearing.
He also tells her that he wasn’t drunk when he was pulled over by a Dorchester County deputy last month.
Scott’s attorney has maintained his client is innocent and the arrest was politically motivated.
To subscribe to the print edition of The Times and Democrat, click here.
