From my e-mail:
THE BUTLER CASE ON SIXTY MINUTES
The controversial case of Thomas C. Butler, the distinguished infectious disease specialist who is the target of aggressive government prosecution because he allegedly mishandled biological agents and committed other violations, continues to perplex and alarm observers.
CBS Sixty Minutes is scheduled to broadcast a segment on the case on Sunday, October 19.
In a reportorial coup, Sixty Minutes managed to tape interviews with the principals before a gag order was imposed on the parties last month.
The court in its wisdom determined that the rights of the defendant, who faces 64 counts of everything from smuggling to tax evasion and embezzlement, might be “impaired” if he or his attorneys were allowed to talk to the press.
“There is a substantial likelihood that certain form[s] of publicity, to wit, extrajudicial statements of a prejudicial nature by parties and their representatives to members of the press, might impair the rights of the defendant, the government and the public to a fair trial by an impartial jury,” wrote Texas judge Sam R. Cummings.
See a copy of Judge Cummings’ gag order, filed September 12, here:
http://www.fas.org/butler/gag.pdf
And then watch Sixty Minutes.