Juvenile court judge ruled in contempt for barring newspaper

7/24/2013

CINCINNATI — An Ohio appeals court has ruled a juvenile court judge in contempt for barring Cincinnati Enquirer reporters from covering the cases of six teens charged with beating a man.

The Ohio 1st District Court of Appeals on Tuesday gave Hamilton County Juvenile Judge Tracie Hunter until Thursday afternoon to reverse her earlier order against allowing Enquirer coverage of proceedings. A message was left for her early today.

The Enquirer reports that it considered Hunter’s earlier order against publishing the juveniles’ names a violation of the First Amendment press freedom rights. Editor Carolyn Washburn says The Enquirer is pleased that the judge has been required to comply with the law.

The juveniles were charged last summer with badly beating a man police said they targeted because they were bored.