Overview

• In 1995, The Washington Post and New York Times received a manifesto from an anonymous sender threatening to kill again unless it was published in its entirety within 90 days.
• The author claimed responsibility for three deaths and dozens of injuries in a mail bombing campaign.
• The newspapers decided to publish the manifesto at the urging of the Justice Department and the FBI, which provided critical clues to the author's identity and led to his capture.
• The decision to publish was controversial, with some arguing it set a terrible precedent and undermined journalistic independence.
• The media continues to grapple with the question of whether to serve as a platform for material that might inspire harmful actions or mislead the public.