315:'s department of journalism and mass communications. In 2015, she sat on the First Amendment Advocacy panel at the National Press Club and discussed the need for stronger legal protections for journalists. And in 2016, she gave a presentation at the International Academy of Investigative Psychology's annual conference at
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awarded her the 2002 PEN/Newman's Own First
Amendment Award, with one judge stating that her case was "especially inspiring" because she "fought her battle without the backing of a newspaper or media organization." Leggett, in her acceptance remarks, said, "Having been confined to a place where civil
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show in April 2004, said, "(My sources) had taken a chance by cooperating with me and giving me information and trusting me with that information. And I felt obligated to honor that. When I realized that underlying this was an assault on the 1st
Amendment, it became something much larger than just my
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ordered
Leggett to appear in court the next day with her notes and tapes for a book she was researching about the murder. The order was in response to a grand jury that had convened to investigate the possibility of filing federal murder charges against the victim's husband, Robert Angleton. Leggett,
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From 1995 to 2016 Leggett taught criminology, as well literature and writing courses, at the
University of Houston-Downtown, as a faculty member for the Department of English as well as for the university's Criminal Justice Training Center, where she taught Texas police recruits and lectured veteran
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Leggett researched the case for five years. In 1998, during a series of jailhouse interviews of Roger
Angleton, a suspect in a murder-for-hire plot, Leggett compiled notes and hours of audio tape that reportedly detailed how Roger's brother Robert hired him to murder his brother's wife Doris. The
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rights are contemptuously regarded as 'legal loopholes' or antiquated nuisances, I can't tell you how good it feels to be in the company of those who not only respect the First
Amendment, but actively work to defend free expression and give it life in their art."
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after 168 days of incarceration on the civil contempt charge when the federal grand jury completed its term. Leggett said to reporters as she walked out of jail, "This is not so much about me. It's about the public's right to a free and independent press."
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was discovered in her home. She died from 13 gunshot wounds to her face and chest. At the time of the death, her twin daughters and husband, Robert
Angleton, a millionaire and former bookie, were at a softball game.
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for 168 days for protecting sources and research notes for an independent book about a federal murder-for-hire case. At the time, it was the longest contempt-of-court imprisonment of a journalist in
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for refusing to turn over her notes. Numerous news organizations and others championed
Leggett's case, advocating that the public interest requires protecting journalists in Leggett's position.
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history for protecting sources. Leggett holds the record for serving the most time for protecting source material and without providing that material to negotiate a release from prison.
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301:' President's Award. In addition, the Washington Independent Writers' Legal and Educational Fund presented Leggett with a $ 1,000 check for her stand in support of the First Amendment.
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She also lectured at the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police; the Swedish National Board of Forensic Medicine; and the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement.
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in support of
Leggett's petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear her case. The center also contributed to her legal defense fund. In addition, the
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Leggett, the daughter of a Houston oil trader, earned her bachelor's degree in English and a master's degree in liberal arts from the
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1028:"Quill: Awards from the Society - Society of Professional Journalists - Improving and protecting journalism since 1909"
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She gave the keynote address at the Institute for Ethics and Journalism's 2007 conference, which was sponsored by the
240:, through its Legal Defense Fund, paid half of Leggett's legal expenses. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case.
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called Leggett's incarceration "a brazen assault on 1st Amendment values and the public interest in a free press."
432:, headlined "My Principles Have Landed Me in Jail," which was published in the magazine's September 2001 edition.
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interviews occurred just before Roger's suicide in his Harris County jail cell and before Robert's trial.
710:"Quill - From the Editor: Leggett case is part of a larger battle - Society of Professional Journalists"
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for its July 2002 issue titled "Doing Time" about her five-and-a-half months spent behind bars at the
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785:"Vanessa Leggett Serves Maximum Jail Time, First Amendment-Based Reporter's Privilege Under Seige"
767:"Vanessa Leggett released from jail after 168 days - Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press"
636:"Vanessa Leggett Serves Maximum Jail Time, First Amendment-Based Reporter's Privilege Under Seige"
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awarded Leggett its 2002 First Amendment Award for refusing to turn over her notes to authorities.
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sources or just my book. It was about protecting the free flow of information to the public."
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and told the magazine she did not know at that point how long she would remain incarcerated.
162:; born May 18, 1968) is an American freelance journalist and lecturer who was jailed by the
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281:, a division of Random House, about the Angleton murder for a reported $ 600,000 advance.
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While in custody, Leggett continued her career as a freelance writer with an article for
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523:"Journalists jailed or fined for refusing to identify confidential sources, as of 2019"
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996:"Vanessa Leggett to receive 2002 PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award - PEN America"
878:"H-Net Discussion Networks - Vanessa Leggett, Bob Woodward, WIW Conference, May 17–18"
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1193:"Q&A with 4 Journalists Who Covered Killer Robert Durst | Psychology Today"
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939:"True crime novelist, jailed for protecting sources, to discuss experience, June 1"
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921:"Jailed Reporter Vanessa Leggett to Give Keynote for W&L's Ethics Institute"
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The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas presented Leggett with its 2002
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gave her the 2003 John Peter and Anna Catherine Zenger Award for Press Freedom.
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In 2015, Leggett had an exclusive interview with then-accused serial killer
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appearing in court on June 20, 2001, refused to turn over her notes, citing
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Leggett appealed her case in 2001 to the United States Supreme Court. The
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The University of Oregon in 2002 awarded Leggett the Ancil Payne Award.
803:"Who Counts As A Journalist, For First Amendment Purposes? - FindLaw"
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s crime issue, which received the 2003 general excellence award from
957:"Past Ancil Payne Award Winners | Journalism and Communication"
215:. She was then held in civil contempt of court and jailed by the
1230:"For Jailed Writer, Prison Times is Study in Ethics, Experience"
900:"Criminal Justice Lecturer Presents at International Conference"
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at the 23rd Annual Washington Writers Conference held at the
1064:"Writer jailed for refusing to turn over notes to get award"
541:"Who Counts As A Journalist, For First Amendment Purposes?"
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Leggett gave a prison interview for the Fall 2001 issue of
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Journalists imprisoned for refusing to reveal sources
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821:"In Lockup, Crime Writer Ponders Strange Plot Twist"
559:"When a Writer Is Punished for Not Being an Author"
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692:"Center Files Brief on Behalf of Vanessa Legget"
476:magazine titled "My Lunch with Robert Durst."
258:After her release, Leggett, appearing on the
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277:Leggett signed a book contract in 2002 with
1010:"Summer Mystery: Why Jail Vanessa Leggett?"
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297:. At the same event, Leggett was given the
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412:The Varieties of Homicide and its Research
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18:American freelance journalist and lecturer
1325:University of St. Thomas (Texas) alumni
1156:"Down the slippery slope to 'newspeak'"
746:"Leggett v. United States - Opposition"
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457:She wrote two editorial pieces for the
345:gave her the President's Award in 2002.
289:In 2002, she headlined with journalist
1101:"My Principles Have Landed Me In Jail"
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860:"Q&A: Vanessa Leggett's Book Deal"
728:"Supreme Court Rejects Leggett Appeal"
206:On June 19, 2001, U.S. District Judge
1310:American women television journalists
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1154:Leggett, Vanessa (August 22, 2004).
1099:Newsweek Staff (September 2, 2001).
446:in Houston. The article appeared in
317:John Jay College of Criminal Justice
311:'s Program in Journalism Ethics and
358:Society of Professional Journalists
238:Society of Professional Journalists
1285:American investigative journalists
1228:Duggan, Paul (December 15, 2001).
1173:Leggett, Vanessa (April 6, 2008).
14:
410:, released two books by Leggett,
1046:"Zenger Award for Press Freedom"
674:"Vanessa Leggett - Charlie Rose"
484:She is married to Doak Leggett.
322:She has also given talks to the
252:Houston Federal Detention Center
180:University of St. Thomas (Texas)
123:Jailed for not revealing sources
1260:Vanessa Leggett speaker profile
1175:"Rosenthal deserved jail time"
839:"Jailed Writer on UHD Faculty"
343:Washington Independent Writers
299:Washington Independent Writers
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324:New York City Bar Association
313:Washington and Lee University
230:Center for Individual Freedom
48:Houston, Texas, United States
1211:"My Lunch With Robert Durst"
330:'s Behavioral Science Unit.
245:The News Media & The Law
1320:21st-century American women
505:"True Crime and Punishment"
190:In April 1997, the body of
1341:
1137:"National Magazine Awards"
408:U.S. Department of Justice
416:The Diversity of Homicide
414:, published in 1999, and
285:Criminal justice lecturer
1295:Journalists from Houston
452:National Magazine Awards
444:Federal Detention Center
274:homicide investigators.
174:Early life and education
141:Herb Block Freedom Award
100:University of St. Thomas
1197:www.psychologytoday.com
654:"Protecting Journalist"
217:U.S. Justice Department
164:U.S. Justice Department
1300:American women writers
961:journalism.uoregon.edu
371:Freedom Award in 2002.
70:1st Amendment advocate
978:"The Reliable Source"
846:New Horizons magazine
376:University of Arizona
363:Leggett received the
1082:"Redefining Justice"
1050:School of Journalism
898:UHD (May 31, 2016).
600:"Texas Confidential"
586:newseuminstitute.org
509:The Austin Chronicle
379:School of Journalism
213:freedom of the press
110:Narrative nonfiction
1315:Women crime writers
943:National Press Club
927:. October 24, 2007.
827:. October 29, 2001.
773:. October 26, 2011.
752:. October 21, 2014.
579:"Newseum Institute"
386:James Madison Award
350:PEN American Center
295:National Press Club
1305:American producers
1234:washingtonpost.com
606:. August 28, 2011.
567:. August 11, 2001.
564:The New York Times
222:The New York Times
137:SPJ 1st Amendment
89:Bachelor's degree
1179:Houston Chronicle
1160:Houston Chronicle
1052:. March 25, 2020.
998:. April 11, 2002.
825:Los Angeles Times
734:. April 16, 2002.
460:Houston Chronicle
309:Knight Foundation
153:
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135:PEN/Newman's Own
133:Ancil Payne Award
131:President's Award
120:Literary movement
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1217:. June 25, 2015.
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96:Alma mater
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186:Case history
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149:Doak Leggett
139:Zenger Award
43:May 18, 1968
15:
1275:1968 births
1032:www.spj.org
807:Findlaw.com
789:findlaw.com
640:FindLaw.com
604:cbsnews.com
545:findlaw.com
404:FBI Academy
328:FBI Academy
1269:Categories
488:References
114:True crime
63:journalist
53:Occupation
39:1968-05-18
367:'s first
232:filed an
86:Education
1105:Newsweek
771:rcfp.org
696:cfif.org
527:RCFP.org
429:Newsweek
422:Articles
369:Herblock
326:and the
78:Language
67:lecturer
1215:Esquire
925:wlu.edu
904:uhd.edu
714:spj.org
473:Esquire
440:article
160:Levrier
81:English
334:Awards
269:Career
146:Spouse
59:author
842:(PDF)
657:(PDF)
582:(PDF)
398:Books
158:(née
106:Genre
1255:IMDb
402:The
374:The
356:The
348:The
31:Born
1253:at
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