"Unethical" to record a phone interview?

Here's the story about the Miami Herald columnist who was fired for not telling a politician he was taping an interview ... the politician offed himself hours later in the newspaper's lobby.

http://www.rcfp.org/news/2005/0803-pri-prosec.html

DeFede was fired after he told his editor that he had recorded the conversation without Arthur Teele's consent, The Miami Herald reported. DeFede, apparently recognizing that Teele, a longtime source, was acting strangely, recorded the conversation. DeFede has been quoted as saying he "wanted to preserve the record."

Failing to gain consent of all parties involved before taping a conversation is a felony in Florida unless it is the first offense and the recording was not made for illegal purposes or financial gain. Ed Griffith, spokesman for the State Attorney's Office in Miami-Dade, said it would be a misdemeanor in this case. There is an exception for in-person communications where the speaker cannot reasonably expect no one will be taping, but that provision does not apply to electronic communications, including phone calls.

Another link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/28/AR2005072802095.html