Prosecutor asks TBI to see if blog info was a crime

[flashl]

Associated Press • July 31, 2008

MEMPHIS -- As Memphis sues to get the name of an Internet blogger critical of police, a prosecutor has asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to determine whether a crime has been committed.

A spokeswoman for District Attorney Bill Gibbons told The Commercial Appeal the office has referred the possible leaks of murder investigations to the TBI.

...

Helm said on Wednesday that a formal investigation had not been opened and the TBI was awaiting information from the Memphis Police Department.

Police Director Larry Godwin and the city filed a lawsuit this month, seeking to force AOL to reveal all information of an e-mail address linked to MPD Enforcer 2.0. That blog has criticized police leadership.

Police Director likely could not get traction in efforts to obtain blogger identity simply based on complaint that blogger was critical of police.