Caldero v. Tribune Publishing Co.

SHEPARD, Justice.

This is an appeal from an order, judgment, and sentence of and for contempt resulting from a newsman’s refusal to disclose the identity of an informant. The existence and/or extent of a constitutionally based privilege from such disclosure is one of first impression in this jurisdiction.

Michael Caldero instituted an action in libel against the Tribune Publishing Company based on an article printed in the November 23, 1973, issue of the Lewiston Morning Tribune. The substance of the complaint was that the article contained “an unfair, false and malicious account” of an…