State v. Alston

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Lockett, J.:

A newspaper and its publisher appeal their convictions of indirect contempt of court for violating the district court’s order not to publish information contained in the court record and discussed in open court concerning the criminal background of the accused awaiting trial and the fact of the court’s order.

On April 30, 1993, John Alston was charged with two felonies and five misdemeanors resulting from the stop and search of his vehicle by a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper. Later that day, an Atchison district court services officer filed a…