Press-related prosecutions under the Espionage Act
Legal filings in Espionage Act prosecutions of individuals accused of disclosing information to the press and public
This Reading Room contains key court filings related to all Espionage Act prosecutions of those accused of disclosing information to the press or to the general public. Passed more than a century ago, the Espionage Act has long been used by the government to prosecute whistleblowers for disclosing information to the press. Recently, there has been an uptick in these prosecutions under the Obama and Trump administrations, which have charged more whistleblowers under the Espionage Act than all prior administrations combined. For an interactive graph and chart of all press-related prosecutions under the Espionage Act, click here.
Showing 91–100 of 173
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District Ct. Op., United States v. Kim, No. 1:10-cr-00225 (D.D.C. Oct. 8, 2013, filed Nov. 13, 2013)
District court's denial of Kim's motion to reconsider Defendant's request to adopt the Fourth Circuit Morison definition of "national defense information."
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Waiver of Indictment re: Donald Sachtleben, United States v. Sachtleben, No. 1:13-cr-00200 (S.D. Ind. Sept. 25, 2013)
Sachtleben's waiver of grand jury indictment.
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Plea Agreement re: Donald Sachtleben, United States v. Sachtleben, No. 1:13-cr-00200 (S.D. Ind. Sept. 13, 2013)
Sachtleben's plea agreement.
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Information re: Donald Sachtleben, United States v. Sachtleben, No. 1:13-cr-00200 (S.D. Ind. Sept. 23, 2013)
Information charging Sachtleben under Sections 793(d) and (e) of the Espionage Act.
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Appellate Ct. Op., United States v. Sterling, 724 F.3d 482 (4th Cir. 2013)
Fourth Circuit's opinion holding that there was no First Amendment reporter's privilege protecting Risen from being compelled to testify and there was no federal common-law reporter's privilege.
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Criminal Compl. re: Edward Snowden, United States v. Snowden, No. 1:13-cr-265 (E.D. Va. June 14, 2013)
Criminal complaint charging Snowden under Sections 793(d) and 798(a)(3) of the Espionage Act.
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Gov't Opp'n re: Hitselberger Mot. to Dismiss re: Counts One, Two, and Three, United States v. Hitselberger, No. 1:12-cr-00231 (D.D.C. Apr. 5, 2013)
Government's opposition re: Hitselberger's motion to dimiss re: Counts One, Two, and Three of the indictment.
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Hitselberger Mot. to Dismiss re: Counts One, Two, and Three, United States v. Hitselberger, No. 1:12-cr-00231 (D.D.C. Mar. 1, 2013)
Hitselberger's motion to dismiss Counts One, Two, and Three of the indictment because Section 793(e) of the Espionage Act is unconstitutionally vague as applied.
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Indictment re: James Hitselberger, United States v. Hitselberger, No. 1:12-cr-00231 (D.D.C. Feb. 28, 2013)
Grand jury indictment charging Hitselberger under Section 793(e) of the Espionage Act.
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Judgment re: John Kiriakou, United States v. Kiriakou, No. 1:10-cr-00127 (E.D. Va. Jan. 25, 2013)
Judgment accepting Kiriakou's guilty plea under 50 U.S.C. § 421 and sentencing Kiriakou to 30 months in prison.