Backpage Archives - Page 2 of 17 - Front Page Confidential

Backpage, Censorship, First Amendment, Freedom of Speech, News, Opinion/Analysis, Section 230, Sex Work, U.S. DOJ, U.S. v. Lacey & Larkin

Michael Lacey’s Attorney in Backpage Case: Lacey’s a ‘First Amendment Guy’

Stephen Lemons/September 1, 2023September 1, 2023 /Leave a comment

During opening arguments on Thursday in the Backpage trial in Phoenix, Michael Lacey’s attorney, Paul Cambria, rebutted allegations made by federal prosecutors that Lacey “facilitated” misdemeanor prostitution offenses because he once co-owned the classified listings site, Backpage.com. “Sex for money…

Asset Seizures, Backpage, Censorship, First Amendment, Freedom of Speech, News, Opinion, Section 230, U.S. v. Lacey & Larkin

Journalists Call for an End to the Prosecution of Michael Lacey

Front Page Confidential/August 28, 2023September 11, 2023 /Leave a comment

We are journalists, editors, artists, and public servants who support veteran newspaperman Michael Lacey in his First Amendment fight with the federal government. On July 31, 2023, Lacey’s longtime business partner, veteran newspaperman James Larkin, died tragically one week before…

Asset Seizures, Backpage, Censorship, First Amendment, Freedom of Speech, News, Opinion/Analysis, Sex Trafficking, U.S. DOJ, U.S. v. Lacey & Larkin

Court Overrules First Amendment Objections in Backpage Case, Will Allow Mentions of ‘Sex Trafficking’

Stephen Lemons/August 19, 2023August 29, 2023 /Leave a comment

On Friday, at the final pretrial hearing in the Backpage case, federal Judge Diane Humetewa in Phoenix shot down a defense suggestion that the prosecution not use the terms “sex trafficking” and “child sex trafficking” during the Aug. 29 trial…

Asset Seizures, Backpage, Censorship, First Amendment, News, U.S. v. Lacey & Larkin

Michael Lacey’s Statement on the Death of Jim Larkin

Front Page Confidential/August 2, 2023August 9, 2023 /3 Comments

FROM MICHAEL LACEY Jim Larkin’s passing has torn at my heart. I knew him for over 40 years as we pursued stories across America, literally from sea to shining sea. He began a newspaper in high school; journalism was quite…

Asset Seizures, Backpage, Censorship, First Amendment, Freedom of Speech, Opinion/Analysis, U.S. v. Lacey & Larkin

Backpage Judge Allows Defense to Argue ‘Legality’ of Ads

Stephen Lemons/July 29, 2023August 21, 2023 /Leave a comment

During a marathon six-hour pre-trial hearing in Phoenix’s federal court on Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Diane Humetewa ruled that the defense in the Backpage case can argue the adult-themed ads that appeared on the classified listings site were, in…

Backpage, Censorship, First Amendment, News, Opinion/Analysis, Section 230, Sex Trafficking, Sex Work, U.S. v. Lacey & Larkin

Backpage Judge’s Order on Pre-Trial Motions Favors Prosecution

Stephen Lemons/July 27, 2023July 27, 2023 /Leave a comment

The following report contains opinion and analysis that is the author’s alone. In an order issued on Monday, July 24, federal Judge Diane Humetewa in Phoenix granted prosecutors significant wins on a series of motions affecting the retrial of veteran…

Backpage, Censorship, First Amendment, Freedom of Speech, Hate Speech, Opinion/Analysis

Judge Halts Censorship of Legal Speech, MSM Freaks Out

Stephen Lemons/July 6, 2023July 6, 2023 /Leave a comment

On July 4, U.S. District Court Judge Terry A. Doughty, Chief Judge for the Western District of Louisiana, issued an order blocking various entities of the federal government from harassing social media sites into censoring content. This has caused consternation…

Backpage, Censorship, First Amendment, Freedom of Speech, Opinion/Analysis, U.S. v. Lacey & Larkin

Lacey/Larkin: SCOTUS Decision in Hansen Case Supports Motion to Dismiss

Stephen Lemons/July 3, 2023July 4, 2023 /1 Comment

With about a month to go before jury selection is set to begin in the retrial of veteran journalists Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin, defense attorneys have filed a new motion arguing that a June 23 decision by the U.S….

Asset Seizures, Backpage, Censorship, First Amendment, Freedom of Speech, Opinion, Section 230, U.S. v. Lacey & Larkin

Lacey/Larkin Blast Feds’ Bid To Ban First Amendment and Free Speech

FPC/June 13, 2023July 21, 2023 /Leave a comment

Statement from Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin: The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) in Phoenix recently filed nine motions in our case aimed at denying us a fair trial, the most egregious of which asks federal Judge Diane Humetewa to prevent…

Asset Seizures, Backpage, Censorship, First Amendment, Freedom of Speech, News, Opinion/Analysis, U.S. v. Lacey & Larkin

U.S. Attorney’s Office Wants to Ban First Amendment in Free Speech Case

Stephen Lemons/June 9, 2023June 9, 2023 /1 Comment

Is the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Arizona getting legal advice from North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un? Forgive the jest, but on Thursday, prosecutors in the August 8 retrial of veteran newspapermen Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin filed nine pretrial…