image from jscoopmedia.com / Alyssa Wells

After journalism students at Northwestern University revealed potentially exonerating evidence regarding a convicted murderer, prosecutors subpoenaed the students’ notes, off-record recordings, grades and emails.

After spending several years investigating a 1978 murder conviction, journalism students at Northwestern University think they’ve discovered evidence absolving the alleged killer of guilt. And they've earned the incarcerated man -- Anthony McKinney -- a new hearing.

On Monday, however, county prosecutors subpoenaed the students’ notes, off-record recordings, grades and emails, even after the university relinquished all on-record documents relating to the project.

According to the Chicago Tribune, some celebrated members of the Illinois press feel as though the prosecution’s demands (which Northwestern continues to fight) are intended to undermine such private investigations that aim to exonerate the wrongfully convicted.

An added twist:

Prosecutors also have asserted that the Medill students and their professor are not journalists and, therefore, not protected from revealing sources and turning over notes under the Illinois Reporter's Privilege Act.

Read the story on ChicagoTribune.com.