In a significant victory for free speech and government accountability, on Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court revived the lawsuit of independent journalist Priscilla Villarreal, who was jailed for asking a police officer to confirm facts related to local incidents. This ruling sends her case back to the Fifth Circuit for further review, overturning a previous dismissal.
Priscilla Villarreal, known locally as La Gordiloca—a term that translates roughly to “the chubby crazy lady” (carrying a more affectionate connotation in Spanish), is represented by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). The charges stemmed from her inquiry into a high-profile suicide of a border patrol agent and a fatal car accident—questions that any journalist would typically ask.
Villarreal is described as “arguably the most influential journalist in Laredo” by The New York Times…
