Lynchburg prosecutors Friday announced they will not pursue criminal charges against two journalists who Liberty University police accused of trespassing on campus while covering the school’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Bethany Harrison said the journalists — Alec MacGillis, a reporter for ProPublica, and Julia Rendleman, a freelance photographer for The New York Times — violated the misdemeanor trespassing statute when they made unauthorized visits to campus in late March.
But Harrison’s office ultimately decided not to pursue the case in court after consulting with Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr.
Criminal Trespass Charges Dropped Against Two Journos Who Reported At Liberty U https://t.co/gdE6mh685a pic.twitter.com/I6uOvFtaaK
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) May 15, 2020