Salinger's son stunned by veto of NH bill

The Associated Press, Wednesday, June 13, 2012, 10:25am (PDT)

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- J.D. Salinger's son says he's stunned and disappointed that a bill aimed at protecting his late father's privacy has been vetoed in New Hampshire, where "The Catcher in the Rye" author lived for decades before his death in 2010.

Matt Salinger spent the last two years pushing for a bill that would have specified that a person's right to control the commercial use of his or her identity can be passed down to heirs and would remain in effect for 70 years. Gov. John Lynch vetoed it Tuesday, saying it would have a "chilling effect" on legitimate journalistic and expressive works.

Matt Salinger says his father moved to New Hampshire in part because he sensed a respect for individual rights and wanted to be left alone to do his work.