By Dana Branham
The Dallas Morning News
Originally published Dec. 5, 2019
Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot filed a motion Thursday seeking dismissal of his contempt case, in which he is accused of violating a gag order in the murder trial of former Dallas police Officer Amber Guyger for the fatal shooting of Botham Jean.
State District Judge Tammy Kemp, who presided over Guyger’s trial, filed a show-cause order in October requiring Creuzot to appear in court to explain why he should not be held in contempt for giving an interview to KDFW-TV about the case.
In the order, Kemp said the interview was a “direct violation” of a gag order she set in place to prevent prosecutors and defense attorneys from speaking publicly about the murder case. Creuzot’s motion Thursday asks a judge to dismiss Kemp’s order. The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas filed a brief in the case calling the gag order an unconstitutional restraint of free speech.