NAMES IN THE NEWS : Reporter Loses in High Court

A Supreme Court justice today refused to help a Texas television news reporter who has begun serving a six-month jail term for refusing to surrender the name of a source.

Justice Byron R. White, without comment, denied an emergency request by Brian Karem of San Antonio’s KMOL-TV. The request sought to postpone Karem’s sentence while he appeals the contempt-of-court finding against him.

“I sure don’t want to do six months in jail,” KMOL-TV reporter Brian Karem said on the Bexar County Jail steps as he surrendered to begin serving the jail term Wednesday. “But I’m going to keep my promise.”

The reporter has defied three court orders to turn over confidential notes of a telephone interview last year with one of the two suspects jailed in the murder case.

Prosecution and defense lawyers, who are preparing for the murder case, contend they need to know who arranged the interview. Karem has said the source fears for his life if his identity is revealed.

“We can’t live up to our principles every day in life,” Karem told reporters as he entered the jail. “But I think this is an important enough issue and I feel strongly enough about it that I want to live up to how I believe.”

Karem had hoped to stay out of jail while he appealed the contempt citations. But those hopes ended Tuesday when the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to issue a stay.

Sheriff Harlon Copeland met Karem on the steps of the jail. The reporter was accompanied by KMOL news director Ron Harig, station manager Bob Donohue and Karem’s father, James.

Karem said his only hope for release would be for the source to come forward or for the U.S. Supreme Court to block his sentence pending appeal.