Press Advocates Outraged By Judge Who Made Newspaper Remove Editorial

Mississippi judge Crystal Wise Martin ordered a newspaper to remove an editorial criticizing the mayor and city leaders after the officials sued.

A Mississippi judge ordered a newspaper to remove an editorial criticizing the mayor and city leaders after the officials sued, sparking complaints from press advocates that it violates the First Amendment.

Chancery Judge Crystal Wise Martin issued the restraining order against the Clarksdale Press Register on Tuesday in connection with a Feb. 8 editorial titled “Secrecy, Deception Erode Public Trust.” The piece criticized the city for not sending the newspaper notice about a meeting the City Council held regarding a proposed tax on alcohol, marijuana and tobacco.

“I think it’s dangerous that a judge would issue a temporary restraining order without a hearing,” said Wyatt Emmerich, president of the paper’s parent company, Emmerich Newspapers. “We’ll fight it and see where it goes.”

The city’s lawsuit called the editorial libelous and said it “chilled and hindered” the city’s efforts to lobby for the tax with state legislators.

The editorial was no longer available on the newspaper’s website by Wednesday afternoon. Martin scheduled a Feb. 27 hearing in the case.