美国明尼苏达州法院,今年7月下旬对一桩涉及新闻自由的诉讼作出了史无前例的判决,因而引起美国新闻界的激烈争论。事情发生在1982年明尼苏达州选举州长时期。在一家广告公司工作的柯翰先生协助一位共和党候选人竞选。为了击败民主党方面的候选人,柯翰向两家报社的记者出示了一份法院文件。那份文件证明竞选副州长的民主党候选人在12年前(1970年)曾因在商店的一次偷窃行为受到法律惩罚。他认为这 The U.S. court in Minnesota made an unprecedented verdict on a lawsuit involving freedom of the press in late July, causing heated debates in the U.S. press. Things happened in the 1982 Minnesota election governor. Mr. Cohen, who works for an advertising agency, helps a Republican candidate run for election. To defeat Democratic candidates, Cohen presented a court paper to journalists from the two newspapers. That document shows that Democratic candidates for the lieutenant governor were punished by law 12 years ago (1970) for a shoplifting theft. He thinks this