Reporter Facing Prison Says Source Lied

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A television reporter facing a prison sentence for refusing to reveal the source of an FBI videotape claimed that the source never released him from a promise to keep his identity secret, according to court papers filed Monday.

Jim Taricani, a reporter for television station WJAR, said attorney Joseph Bevilacqua gave him the videotape in 2000 and told Taricani he could never reveal who provided it.

That contradicts what Bevilaqua has told prosecutors: that he never required Taricani to withhold his identity and that Taricani asked him not to come forward.

But in documents filed Monday, Taricani said that is a lie, explaining that Bevilacqua repeatedly insisted that his identity be kept confidential in numerous conversations during the last three years — and as recently as the day Taricani stood trial last month for refusing to name his source.

The tape, which showed former mayoral aide Frank Corrente taking a bribe, was part of a corruption probe that ultimately sent city officials including former Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci to federal prison.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041207/ap_on_re_us/mum_reporter