Knox Case: Astroturf Veto (4#) -

The Infestation This Time . . .

A British freelance reporter has produced a piece of investigative journalism on the Perugia Case for which, it now appears, the publication in which it was published secured only the UK Print Rights. Since the writer retains certain rights to her own material, she subsequently posted it on her own website where it is being made available to readers beyond the UK.

The practice of copyright law today is becoming increasingly complicated. Here is a partial list of the issues which can be involved: print right, first rights, international rights, serial or syndication rights, electronic distribution rights, audio rights, etc.

Investigative Journalist Sharon Feinstein travelled to Perugia where she interviewed the warden and former cellmate of Amanda Knox when the young woman was remanded to the Capanne facility as a Guest of the State.

The reporter is currently being mobbed on the comment thread of her blog by those who are trying to bully and intimidate her into stopping any further enterprise investigative journalism on this case.

This kind of phenomenon is also being experienced in the Orlando area lately. Every time the Sentinel newspaper there publishes an article on the Casey Anthony Case, a mob shows up on their comment thread with similar behavior. That mob is now being referred to there as "the mouth-breathers." The St Petersburg Times has experienced similar difficulties because of a cult located in their area.

Any enterprising reporter who newly comes to this case at this point obviously needs to bring a can of some kind of repellent spray.

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