Help journalists appeal police persecution

On Christmas night 2021, two journalists for the independent Asheville Blade were arrested while trying to cover the clearing by police of a homeless encampment in Asheville, North Carolina. Their case received international attention, with a wide array of press and civil liberties groups condemning the arrests, charges and the insistence on taking them to trial.

In June 2023, the journalists were convicted on trespassing charges by a jury that was not allowed to hear the whole story. The resulting ruling is also troubling for press freedoms nationwide. The case is now up on appeal to the North Carolina Court of Appeals, and the reporters remain determined to fight on. The First Amendment Clinic at Duke University Law School is assisting on the appeal, and all of the lawyers involved either work for Duke or are working pro bono.

My name is Ben Scales. I am an attorney and lead counsel for the journalists. I tried the case with the able assistance of noted civil rights attorney Alan Stuart Graf. Although the attorneys are working pro bono, the journalists are still required to pay for the cost of the trial transcript, if they want their appeal to be heard. While we've already raised a significant amount, the cost charged for the transcript is higher than expected. We're seeking $1,700 to fill this gap. Any excess funds raised will go to non-profit organizations that support First Amendment freedoms. No funds raised from this campaign will go to any individual, other than the court reporter.

Please show your support for the First Amendment rights of these journalists and all of us by donating to this campaign. Thank you!