Sun Appeals $40,000 Judgement

Former SUN editor Linda Ross has filed an appeal of the Federal Court ruling which ordered her to pay $40,000 in damages to undercover drug agent William Burns for the alleged "emotional harm" he suffered due to the publication of his photo in this newspaper.

Attorney David Goldstein filed a motion June 12 asking for a judgement overturning the jury's finding on the grounds that it was "contrary to the great weight of evidence in the case." In asking Federal Judge Cornelia Kennedy to reverse the ruling, the appeal also states that the jury's action indicated prejudice in favor of the police, and not a careful reading of the law. Kennedy is expected to act shortly on the motion.

"We can't accept a decision lying down which attacks freedom of the press so directly," stated SUN coordinator David Fenton. "Why should Burns get paid for assaulting 2 women?"

The American Civil Liberties Union has tentatively expressed an interest in joining the case because of what they consider its first amendment ramifications.