> Cooke’s story, about an 8-year-old heroin addict, created an instant sensation—the 1980s equivalent of “going viral”—reprinted around the country and around the world. As DC Mayor Marion Barry and city health and police officials hustled to find the child and prosecute his guardian-tormentors, the Post stood fast behind its First Amendment right to protect its reporter from having to reveal the boy’s whereabouts.

That's begging the question! The First Amendment forbids restraint on the press — it says nothing about reporters being immune from reporting crimes.

Otherwise what would prevent anyone from claiming to be a reporter and refusing to testify?