In the Matter of the Grand Jury Proceeding Re Will Lewis, Applicant. Will Lewis, Applicant-Appellant v. United States

Appellant Will Lewis appeals from a judgment of the District Court finding him in contempt for refusing to produce a document and a tape recording pursuant to subpoena by the Grand Jury and for refusing to answer questions propounded by that body.

The judgment was entered on June 19, 1974, and commitment was ordered as of that date. Under the mandate of 28 U. S.C. § 1826 we issue this opinion within the 30 day period following the filing of appeal. We affirm.

Appellant Will Lewis is the Station Manager of KPFK, a local FM radio station with offices located in North Hollywood, California. On May 31, 1974, KPFK received a three-page mimeographed document purportedly issued by an organization calling itself “The Weather Underground,” which contained information relative to a recent bombing of a government building. KPFK made copies of the document available to law enforcement agencies, produced a news broadcast about the document, and turned over the original document to the custody of appellant. KPFK was not the only news media to receive a copy of that document; others received it as well, including the Los Angeles Times. On or about June 7, 1974, KPFK received a tape…