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Judge Robert Bonanno's attorney wants to find out who leaked details of a secret grand jury report.
By JEFF TESTERMAN
© St. Petersburg Times, published December 14, 2000
TAMPA -- The attorney for embattled Circuit Judge Robert Bonanno said Wednesday that he would subpoena two Tampa Tribune reporters next week in an attempt to find out who leaked details of a secret grand jury report.
Ralph Fernandez, Bonanno's attorney, also said he has been told that the secret report might have been leaked to Tribune reporters by another circuit judge, several prominent attorneys or the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which assisted the grand jury.
"This case has more leaks than a sieve," said Fernandez. "It's compromised the whole grand jury process."
Charles Guthrie, a supervisory agent for FDLE, denied that anyone at the agency had divulged details of the report, also called a presentment. .
Nonetheless, Fernandez said he will subpoena Tribune reporters Lyda Longa and Gary Sprott for a hearing before Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Susan Schaeffer, who presided over the grand jury, on Tuesday to determine if the newspaper and others should be held in contempt of court.
But Gregg Thomas, an attorney representing the Tribune, said the public's right to know outweighed any need for secrecy.
"My view of this is that this is information of a critical public nature," Thomas said. "The First Amendment is far more important than a little embarrassment to some judges."
Thomas insisted that the Tribune reporters broke no laws and can't be held in contempt.
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