Barbara McMahon is a reporter for The Lake County Press . McMahon is approached by Julie Bryant, a research scientist for the International Chemical Corporation. Bryant, who asks for and receives a promise of confidentiality from McMahon, informs the reporter that International Chemical has been disposing of its chemical waste product by illegally dumping it in the Lake County River.
On the strength of Bryant's word alone, The Lake County Press runs a series of articles on the illegal dumping. The district attorney of Lake County elects to prosecute the president and board members of International. At the trial, McMahon is called as a witness and asked to reveal her confidential news source. The state in which Lake County is located does not recognize any journalist-news source privilege. The judge tells McMahon that if she does not reveal her source, she will be placed in jail until she does so.
Was it ethical for Bryant to go to McMahon with her confidential story in the first place? Was it ethical for McMahon to print the news stories on the basis of Bryant's word alone?
Would it be ethical for the judge to place McMahon in jail? What is the ethical course of action for McMahon? What is the ethical course of action for Bryant? Defend all of your responses.