Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Edward Helmore

Free speech group calls foul play at prosecutors using Comey novel in case against him

James Comey Donald Trump United States FBI PEN America
A smiling man in a suit with a red tie.
James Comey arrives to give closed-door testimony to Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington DC on 17 December 2018. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

A leading US free-expression group has hit out at federal prosecutors’ use of a novel written by former FBI director James Comey in their case accusing him of threatening to kill Donald Trump.

“Citing a novel to save an indictment that is constitutionally dubious is a desperate Hail Mary and should be rejected,” said a statement posted on Friday by Mara Gassmann, legal director of PEN America, using a term for a last-second heave in American football.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
The hill I will die on: The email sign-off is archaic – it needs to go. No regards, Tom
The torture of the inbox is made insufferably worse by the dated cliches at the beginning and end, says journalist Tom Gill
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
New Trump rule allows hunters to bait bears in Alaska with doughnuts, bacon and more
Critics decry Trump administration rule that lets hunters lure bears with human foods on federal lands in Alaska
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sylvester Stallone defends casting daughter in Tulsa King: ‘Of course it’s nepotism, you idiot’
Scarlet Rose Stallone appears in the hit series ‘Tulsa King’ in a recurring role
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Ground Beef and Strawberries Cost More as New Federal Diet Advice Puts Protein at Every Meal
Ground beef rose 7.4% and strawberries 10.4% in a year, as federal dietary advice stresses protein. Beans, eggs, and frozen produce can ease the cost.
Medical Daily
Medical Daily
Dog gives you the guilty look? Here's what research says it actually means
Walk into a room where something has gone wrong and your dog is already doing it: head low, ears back, eyes wide and soft, maybe a slow tail wag aimed at the floor. Every owner reads this the same way. The dog knows. Except the research says that is probably…
Times Pets
Times Pets
80 Beautiful Pottery Creations That Prove Creativity Has Absolutely No Limits (New Pics)
It’s stunning what people can create with just a lump of wet clay, their own hands, and a little bit of love and creativity. On r/Pottery, folks with all kinds of experience share the most amazing and creative things they made. So, as you scroll and admire the pieces, let…
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play