This just uncovered. More on CondorFlight's discovery yesterday about the relationship between the NandO and DPD.
http://www.maynardije.org/columns/dickprince/041115_prince/
Arrested for Attempting Interview
November 15, 2004
Raleigh Reporter Accused of Harassment
"A News & Observer reporter was arrested Sunday morning after a woman he was trying to interview for a story charged him with making harassing phone calls," Jessica Rocha reports today in the Raleigh News & Observer.
"Ruth A. Brown, a property room technician with the Durham Police Department, filed the complaint against reporter Demorris Lee, 36, of Raleigh.
"Brown's testimony three years ago convicted a teenager of robbing her. It led to a jail sentence of at least 10 years for the teen, Erick Daniels.
"But the case has been reopened by Durham police, and a Durham advocacy group also is reviewing it.
"Since 2001, Lee has written about Brown's case and Daniels, who claims he is innocent of the robbery.
"Lee said he remembers leaving two voice messages on Brown's home answering machine last month when he was working on a story about Daniels' attempts to clear his name. Lee said the messages were respectful and were a routine part of the reporting process. If Brown didn't want to comment, he said, she could have simply told him so.
"I think it was only fair I call and ask her to respond," Lee said in the story. "I would have been derelict of my duties if I didn't give her the opportunity to respond to Erick Daniels' contention that he was not the one who robbed her."
"Lee was released without bail Sunday morning by a Wake County magistrate on a written promise to attend a Nov. 24 court date in Durham," the story continued.
"Arresting a reporter for making harassing phone calls is extremely rare, said Orlando Hudson Jr., Durham County senior resident Superior Court judge.
". . . Melanie Sill, The N&O's executive editor, said that during her tenure at the paper, a reporter has never been charged with harassing a source. Reporters routinely call people who are part of news stories to give them an opportunity to comment, she said.
"'Leaving a telephone message doesn't constitute harassment,' Sill said. 'This doesn't do justice to serious cases of harassment. This is a waste of the justice system's time.'"
She told Journal-isms today that "we're completely behind Demorris, all of us here all the way up to corporate headquarters." The paper is owned by the McClatchy Co. Sill said the company was consulting lawyers. She said she had looked up the statute and that it clearly said it was against the law to threaten or harass, which is not what Morris was doing.
It's another lesson that "people can abuse the justice system," she said.
Ernie Suggs of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the regional representative on the board of the National Association of Black Journalists, told NABJ members today that, "The NABJ Board is aware of Demorris' situation and working on a plan."
The Triangle Association of Black Journalists issued a statement, which is at the end of today's posting.
http://www.maynardije.org/columns/dickprince/041124_prince/
Charges Dropped Against N&O Reporter
November 24, 2004 Returning Monday
Prosecutor Urges More Protection for Journalists
District Attorney Jim Hardin Jr. of Durham, N.C., announced Tuesday that he would not prosecute Raleigh reporter Demorris Lee, who had been charged with making harassing phone calls in the course of pursuing a story. His arrest drew condemnation from leading journalism organizations as a threat to press freedom.
"Hardin said in a written statement that he would file to have the charges against News & Observer reporter Demorris Lee dismissed, because, 'The State of North Carolina cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt all the essential elements of this alleged crime'," as Michael Petrocelli wrote in the Durham Herald-Sun.
"In his statement, Hardin also said a policy is needed that would require law enforcement officials to investigate any allegations made against a journalist in the course of gathering news before issuing an arrest warrant. Durham has a similar policy for complaints against law enforcement officers, emergency services personnel and school system employees, Hardin wrote," Petrocelli's story continued.
"I support such a policy and believe that it would provide the appropriate protection of a victim and alleged perpetrator, while still affording us all our rights granted by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution regarding free speech and a free press," Hardin was quoted as saying.
"Lee was arrested Nov. 14 after Ruth A. Brown, a police property room technician, took out a warrant against him. The reporter was scheduled to appear in court today," the story continued.
"Lee has said the incident occurred after he left two phone messages for Brown about an article concerning Erick Daniels, who was convicted of robbing Brown three years ago. Daniels, who was 14 when the crime occurred, received at least 10 years in prison, and Brown testified against him."
Among the groups protesting Lee's arrest were the National Association of Black Journalists and its local chapter, the American Society of Newspaper Editors, the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
In a note to the NABJ's listserve today, Lee thanked members for their support and concluded, "But now, let's get back to what got this thing started: a then 15-year-old may have been wrongly convicted of [a] crime and just turned 18 in prison. I'm still on that story and look for something real soon."
More...
http://www.maynardije.org/columns/dickprince/041124_prince/
Charges Dropped Against N&O Reporter
November 24, 2004 Returning Monday
Prosecutor Urges More Protection for Journalists
District Attorney Jim Hardin Jr. of Durham, N.C., announced Tuesday that he would not prosecute Raleigh reporter Demorris Lee, who had been charged with making harassing phone calls in the course of pursuing a story. His arrest drew condemnation from leading journalism organizations as a threat to press freedom.
"Hardin said in a written statement that he would file to have the charges against News & Observer reporter Demorris Lee dismissed, because, 'The State of North Carolina cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt all the essential elements of this alleged crime'," as Michael Petrocelli wrote in the Durham Herald-Sun.
"In his statement, Hardin also said a policy is needed that would require law enforcement officials to investigate any allegations made against a journalist in the course of gathering news before issuing an arrest warrant. Durham has a similar policy for complaints against law enforcement officers, emergency services personnel and school system employees, Hardin wrote," Petrocelli's story continued.
"I support such a policy and believe that it would provide the appropriate protection of a victim and alleged perpetrator, while still affording us all our rights granted by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution regarding free speech and a free press," Hardin was quoted as saying.
"Lee was arrested Nov. 14 after Ruth A. Brown, a police property room technician, took out a warrant against him. The reporter was scheduled to appear in court today," the story continued.
"Lee has said the incident occurred after he left two phone messages for Brown about an article concerning Erick Daniels, who was convicted of robbing Brown three years ago. Daniels, who was 14 when the crime occurred, received at least 10 years in prison, and Brown testified against him."
Among the groups protesting Lee's arrest were the National Association of Black Journalists and its local chapter, the American Society of Newspaper Editors, the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
In a note to the NABJ's listserve today, Lee thanked members for their support and concluded, "But now, let's get back to what got this thing started: a then 15-year-old may have been wrongly convicted of [a] crime and just turned 18 in prison. I'm still on that story and look for something real soon."
Replies to two of your posts:
1. Your research on the timeline makes sense with my perception of it. But I was following my Gators in the NCAA men's basketball tourney when this case started up. I heard about it, did not pay much attention to it, but as the leftist made more and more noise about it and prompted by Howlin, I smelled a rat.
2. Has anyone posted about the arrest of the reporter on Sills blog? We need to ask her if she and her reporters are cowed by the Durham county legal system now? Does she have ANY concrete evidence that they are not? Did they remove the racial slurs out of the DPD assault story because they are fearful of the Durham County judical system. I smell another rat here.