The decision to throw out the ban which prevented a reporter from interviewing convicted double-murderer Scott Watson in prison has been described as a "win for journalism"
Investigative journalist Mike White has been trying to get inside Christchurch’s Rolleston Prison to interview Watson over claims of a miscarriage of justice for years after an invitation from the prisoner.
But the North & South reporter has continually run up against the Department of Corrections, who blocked the interview request to protect the interests of the murder victims' families.
The matter went to the High Court last month and ended with Justice Rachel Dunningham granting a judicial review, quashing the ban and ordering Corrections to reconsider.
Mr White said the move was "good for journalism" in an interview at his Wellington home today.
"The judge has realised that journalists have a special role in investigating cases of potential miscarriage of justice and has enforced that role," he says.
"In certain circumstances, journalists do have a responsibility to investigate these cases and the best way to do that is by talking to the people who have been convicted and imprisoned."
Mr White believes Corrections has been cracking down on reporters over the last few years.
"Virtually no journalists applying to visit individual prisoners have been allowed permission to speak to them," he says.
"We felt we had to try and question those decisions that were being made and especially in this case where the prisoner has no other rights of appeal, and hasn't spoken previously."
Corrections may still decide to block the interview on a different basis.
3 News
source: newshub archive
