Florida newspaper posts murder confession transcript, audio

By The Associated Press

09.10.02

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TAVARES, Fla. — The Orlando Sentinel has posted on its Web site a murder confession taped earlier this year by a reporter interviewing a suspect in the Lake County jail.

The newspaper's decision to release an audio version of the tape along with the transcript came after it objected to prosecution and defense demands. The confession was posted on Sept. 6.

The prosecutors and defense attorneys had wanted a judge to force the Sentinel to hand over the recording of 25-year-old Quawn Franklin, who detailed the slaying.

In January the newspaper published the substance of the interview, in which Franklin admitted to last year's fatal shooting of a security guard in Leesburg and the beating of an elderly Leesburg civic leader who nearly died.

In a Sept. 4 hearing, lawyers for the state and the defense said the tape could be vital to both their cases.

But the newspaper argued that a state law generally protects journalists from having to give authorities information obtained in gathering news.

"Now that the newspaper has made this entire interview public, we believe it is no longer necessary for our reporter to be forced to turn over his notes or to testify in this case," said Tim Franklin, editor and vice president of the Sentinel.

Assistant State Attorney Bill Gross said he was pleasantly surprised by the newspaper's decision to make the tape public.

"It seems inconsistent with the position taken earlier, but if in fact it happens to be true, I applaud the Sentinel for doing that," Gross said.

Chief Assistant Public Defender William Stone, however, criticized the newspaper's decision.

"It's just about as irresponsible as the interview," Stone said. "I don't think that trying Quawn Franklin in the newspaper and on the Internet is anything close to due process."

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Confessed killer's lawyers demand access to reporter's notes, tapes
Jailhouse interview earlier this month marks second time Quawn Franklin has told the Orlando Sentinel about a slaying.  09.30.02