IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Latest on a subpoena seeking an Iowa journalist’s notes from a book on a lottery scandal (all times local):
Lawyers are withdrawing a subpoena that sought the interview notes of an Iowa journalist who wrote a book about a lottery insider who rigged jackpots in several states.
Perry Beeman received the subpoena last week from lawyers for Larry Dawson, an Iowa jackpot winner who contends that the rigging reduced his prize by millions of dollars.
Beeman co-wrote a recent book, “The $80 billion Gamble,” with former Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich. It tells the story of how now-imprisoned lottery security contractor Eddie Tipton altered number-picking programs on computers to win jackpots in Colorado, Wisconsin, Kansas and Oklahoma.
The subpoena ordered Beeman to turn over his correspondence with Rich since January 2018, including notes related to four interviews conducted last year.
But on Tuesday, hours after The Associated Press published a story about the request, Dawson’s legal team decided to withdraw the subpoena after speaking with Beeman.
Beeman says he’s happy with that decision.
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10:40 a.m.
An Iowa journalist who wrote a book about the lottery insider who rigged jackpots in several states has been subpoenaed to turn over notes related to his reporting.
Perry Beeman received the subpoena last week from lawyers for Larry Dawson, an Iowa jackpot winner who contends that the rigging reduced his prize by millions of dollars.
Beeman co-wrote the recent book “The $80 billion Gamble” with former Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich. It tells the story of how now-imprisoned lottery security contractor Eddie Tipton altered number-picking programs on computers to win jackpots in Colorado, Wisconsin, Kansas and Oklahoma.
The subpoena orders Beeman to turn over his correspondence with Rich since January 2018, including notes related to four interviews they conducted last year.
Beeman says he is considering his options for responding to the request. He says he has objected to subpoenas previously because they have “a chilling effect on the reporting process.”
The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled that reporter’s sources, unpublished information and notes are privileged material and may be subject to disclosure only in limited circumstances.