The order came in the federal criminal prosecution of Stacey Jackson, formerly the executive director of New Orleans Affordable Homeownership, who has been accused of misusing federal funds before and after Hurricane Katrina for personal benefit through a kickback scheme. U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Wilkinson granted a request Tuesday (Jan. 21) from Jackson, who faces federal corruption charges, to subpoena NOLA Media Group for information related to two specific online handles, "aircheck" and "jammer1954," including names, addresses and phone numbers. A Times-Picayune report on Wednesday said the news organization's usual policy is to keep such information private "to the extent possible." After several anonymous online monikers were traced to former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sal Perricone and former First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jan Mann, leading to the resignation of then-U.S. Attorney Jim Letten, federal authorities asked the organization to turn over information on 11 additional online handles. Jackson petitioned the court to order NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune to turn over the commenters' identities after it came to light in a separate case that members of the U.S. attorney's office were posting anonymous comments online, slamming the New Orleans Police Department and commenting on the case of five police officers who were convicted of shooting civilians on a New Orleans bridge in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. NOLA Media Group, which operates The Times-Picayune newspaper and its companion website, has 10 days to respond to the subpoena.
– A judge in New Orleans has given the Times-Picayune website 10 days to turn over the identities of two online commenters, reports Politico. The judge agreed to the request by the lawyer for Stacey Jackson, former head of the New Orleans Affordable Homeownership program who is facing federal charges of corruption. Jackson's legal team apparently thinks the anonymous commenters were federal attorneys who posted comments about Jackson and her case on NOLA.com, possibly to pressure suspects into cooperating with them, reports AP. It's not clear whether the Times-Picayune will comply, but a news story in the paper about the judge's ruling suggests the policy is a little squishy: "It is the news organization's usual policy to keep such information private to the extent possible." If this rings a bell, it's because there's a precedent in New Orleans. US Attorney Jim Letten had to resign in 2012 after two deputies admitted that they posted comments at the site about cases. In the most high-profile example, five officers convicted in deadly bridge shootings after Hurricane Katrina were granted a new trial because of the "prosecutorial misconduct."