Mass. governor seeks release of jailed reporter

Governor Edward King of Massachusetts said he would ask the State Executive Council to commute the sentence of Boston Herald-American reporter Paul Corsetti for contempt of court.

Corsetti was jailed last Tuesday after his appeal against a 90-day sentence for refusal to testify about an interview with a suspected murderer ran out in the state courts. A pardon would have left Corsetti with no criminal record - but King told a news conference he would not pardon Corsetti because the press should not be more privileged than the rest of society.