Contemplating Contempt: U.S. District Judge Lynn Is About to Tighten Her Gag Order

Thursday morning, I asked publicist Ken Carter -- who, very helpfully, has been sending out press releases on former Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill's behalf in advance of his corruption trial -- if he thought doing so violated U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn's gag order, which is now one week old. Carter said no, not at all -- sending out invites to prayer vigils and forwarding along letters sent to the U.S. Attorney General were okee-doke, far as he was concerned. "We are not talking about elements of the case," he said. "These are, if you will, citizens who have taken active concern and approach to the case."

Hill also ignored the gag order on Thursday, giving an interview to The News in which he reiterated claims made in July 2008, when he claimed his prosecution was politically and racially motivated. As Friend of Unfair Park John on a Carphone pointed out yesterday evening in the comments attached to the South Dallas preachers' letter to Eric Holder, Lynn clearly is not amused; hence, the order below, in which she's called a meeting first thing Monday morning, before jury selection is expected to begin in the City Hall corruption trial in which Hill's been indicted on charges of accepting bribes to push through low-income housing developments.
U.S. District Judge Lynn's June 18 Order