| Blog and Media Roundup - Friday, July 3, 2009; News Roundup | |
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| Topic Started: Jul 3 2009, 03:43 AM (144 Views) | |
| abb | Jul 3 2009, 03:43 AM Post #1 |
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http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/capital/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1246544412232920.xml&coll=1 Files on Katrina deaths stay hidden Supreme Court asks for more information Thursday, July 02, 2009 By Laura Maggi Staff writer The Louisiana Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to decide whether former Attorney General Charles Foti's files from his investigation of charges that Dr. Anna Pou euthanized patients after Hurricane Katrina are public record and should be released to The Times-Picayune and CNN. In the decision, written by Chief Justice Catherine "Kitty" Kimball, the state's high court said a trial court judge must determine again whether any future criminal litigation against Pou "could be reasonably anticipated" before determining whether the news organizations can obtain investigative documents from the case. An Orleans Parish grand jury in the summer of 2007 declined to indict Pou after hearing evidence of her actions at Memorial Medical Center after the storm. She was arrested by Foti on murder charges for allegedly euthanizing four Memorial patients. After the grand jury finding, both Foti and the Orleans Parish district attorney's office stated that they would not seek further charges against Pou. Since Pou was arrested in July 2006, Foti's investigation was widely criticized by medical professionals and others who defended her care of elderly and sick patients in horrible conditions. The controversy contributed to Foti's defeat when he ran for re-election in 2007. The Times-Picayune and CNN have argued that the public has a right to know whether the evidence supported Foti's argument that the doctor, along with two nurses, committed murder by injecting patients with a "lethal cocktail" of morphine and Versed. In September 2007, 19th Judicial District Judge Donald Johnson sided with the news organizations, finding that most of the investigative file should be made available. Attorneys for Memorial employees appealed to the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal, saying their privacy rights would be violated if the public could read statements they gave to Foti. That court ruled that the documents should not be given to the news organizations because there is no statute of limitations on murder and a prosecution could begin at any time. The Supreme Court's opinion does not agree with the 1st Circuit, instead finding that the current record is "insufficient" to determine whether anyone is likely to face charges for their actions at Memorial. The court ordered Johnson to hold a hearing to determine whether future prosecution is reasonably anticipated, taking into account not just the intentions of the district attorney and attorney general, but other aspects of the case. Lori Mince, an attorney for both news organizations, noted that Johnson conducted a five-day trial two years ago about whether a prosecution was "reasonably anticipated" and determined it was not. "The Supreme Court should not have set that ruling aside merely to require the parties to have a new trial on the exact same issue," she said. Justice Jeffrey Victory agreed with the news organizations, saying in a dissent that he could not see any reason to have the trial court again hold a hearing about the possibility of future prosecutions. Justice Jeannette Theriot Knoll concurred in part and dissented in part. The other justices concurring with Kimball's opinion were Bernette Johnson and John Weimer. The decision does not say whether Greg Guidry participated. The final justice, Chet Traylor, retired before the ruling. In a related development Wednesday, Gov. Bobby Jindal signed into law a bill that doles out nearly $457,000 to pay some legal fees for Pou. . . . . . . . Laura Maggi can be reached at lmaggi@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3316. |
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| abb | Jul 3 2009, 03:43 AM Post #2 |
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http://cancelthebee.blogspot.com/2009/07/sweet-laid-off-vp-walks-away-with.html Thursday, July 2, 2009 Sweet!.... laid off VP walks away with $690,000 lump sum -- if she signs a waiver Laid off VP Lynn Dickerson stands to get a $690,000 lump sum payment from cash-strapped McClatchy-- once she signs a waiver. Under the Separation Agreement and subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, effective July 17, 2009, Ms. Dickerson is resigning from all offices and other positions that she holds with the Company and her employment with the Company will terminate on such date. In connection with such termination, Ms. Dickerson will be entitled to the following severance payments and benefits: i. Subject to executing a waiver and release of claims agreement in favor of the Company, a lump sum severance payment equal to $690,000; and ii. If Ms. Dickerson elects health care continuation coverage under COBRA, for one year following the effective date of her termination (or, if earlier, the date Ms. Dickerson terminates her COBRA coverage), the Company will pay Ms. Dickerson’s COBRA premiums for group health insurance coverage. I wonder how much of the "lump sum severance payment" will be MNI stock. Previous: |
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| abb | Jul 3 2009, 03:45 AM Post #3 |
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http://heraldsun.southernheadlines.com/durham/4-1177877.cfm Police officer shot; man charged By KEITH UPCHURCH : The Herald-Sun kupchurch@heraldsun.com Jul 3, 2009 Bookmark and Share DURHAM -- A 23-year-old man has been charged in the wounding of a police officer who was shot in the abdomen early Thursday morning while responding to a call on Shannon Road. The officer, who had just joined the Durham force in May, underwent surgery at Duke University Hospital and was reported in stable condition at Duke University Hospital. Thomas Rashawn Monroe of 3300 Shannon Road, Apt. 5A was charged Thursday with assault on a law enforcement officer with a firearm. He was placed in Durham County Jail under a $250,000 bond. The case is still under investigation, police said. The officer, Damon Youmans, 32, was wounded while answering a call at Monroe's address in the South Square Townhomes apartment complex. Officers were sent to a "shots fired' call at the complex shortly before 4 a.m., according to police spokeswoman Kammie Michael. The call was then changed to a possible break-in in progress, she said. "As officers arrived on the scene, several shots were fired from inside the apartment,' Michael said. "One shot struck Youmans in the abdomen.' Police Chief Jose Lopez said from Duke Hospital on Thursday afternoon that the shooting is a shock. "It's like having a traumatic, violent situation happen to a family member,' Lopez said. "The mind starts to race to make sure that everything gets done, and also to monitor the officers who were there, to make sure that they're healthy also.' "He can use prayers, I can tell you that,' said Lopez, who had made three trips to the hospital by midafternoon Thursday to check on Youmans. "But they've got him stabilized, and we're just in a wait-and-see situation.' The chief said the officer's family is being contacted in New York, where he served two years with the New York Police Department before coming to Durham. Before Thursday afternoon's arrest, investigators were questioning four people who were inside the apartment, according to a police press release. The apartment complex has a large Latino population, and a police interpreter was at the scene on Thursday to help officers translate as police questioned residents. Some had wondered whether the language barrier might have played a part in the shooting, but Lopez said all those involved spoke English. "At this point in time, we truly can't speculate as far as what might have contributed until the investigation is done,' Lopez said. One apartment resident said he was awakened by the sounds of gunfire early Thursday. "I was sleeping, and then I heard 'pop, pop, pop, like six shots,' said Julio Beodran, who lives across the street from the shooting scene. Beodran, who works at a restaurant waiter, said he's lived at the complex for about a year and has never heard gunfire before. "It's nice living here,' he said. Another resident, Tempestt Watson, who has lived at the complex for 13 years, said the area is "pretty quiet, except for the weekends, when it's loud because there's a lot of kids.' Eduardo Castro-Merino, who lives near the shooting scene, said he slept through the gunfire. He said crime is seldom a problem at the apartments. "It's nice living here,' he said. "It's OK.' Chief Lopez said Thursday's shooting should remind the public what officers risk as they go about their jobs. "This reminds us not only the danger that these officers are in, but of their courage in being willing to step out there.' |
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| abb | Jul 3 2009, 03:48 AM Post #4 |
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http://heraldsun.southernheadlines.com/durham/4-1177891.cfm Minister to challenge Councilman Clement By Ray Gronberg : The Herald-Sun gronberg@heraldsun.com Jul 3, 2009 Bookmark and Share DURHAM -- This year's City Council race got its first announced challenger Thursday when a local minister, Sylvester Williams, said he'd challenge incumbent Councilman Howard Clement for the Ward 2 seat. Williams, a Durham native, said in a morning news conference that he wants to "reduce the growing disparity between Durham's neighborhoods," particularly that between his native East Durham and the rest of the city. The effort, he said, will require focusing business incentives on established local enterprises and on new businesses willing to hire people in areas where unemployment is highest. The city also needs to give landlords more incentives to rehab old and abandoned houses, he said. Williams added that while he and his supporters "appreciate [Clement's] service though the years, we also look at our community, and we see where we haven't progressed as other parts of Durham have." Thursday's announcement by Williams, pastor of the Assembly at Durham Christian Center on Bryant Street, came just days before the filing period for this year's city election opens. The county Board of Elections will begin registering candidates Monday at 8:30 a.m., and continue until noon on June 17. Up for grabs this year are the mayor's chair, now held by Bill Bell, and three ward-based council seats. Bell, Clement, Ward 1 incumbent Cora Cole-McFadden and Ward 3 incumbent Mike Woodard are all expected to seek re-election. Council candidates have to live in the wards they represent, but voters from the entire city will decide the winner of each of the seats. The election is non-partisan. Ward 1 covers central and northern Durham, Ward 2 the southeastern parts of the city and Ward 3 the western parts of the city. Williams is making his first try for elective office but has spoken up about public affairs from time to time. He's been a critic of the proposed East End Connector -- a highway project that would link the Durham Freeway and U.S. 70 -- on the grounds it would displace a predominantly black neighborhood. William also drew attention in the late 1990s when he urged the Durham Public Schools to stop teaching the theory of evolution. He argued that the theory is racist "because it teaches black students that white students have evolved at a far greater pace than they have," Another minister and potential Ward 2 candidate, Melvin Whitley, said earlier this week he wouldn't seek office this year. Clement is the council's senior member and has been in office since 1983. He was re-elected easily in 2005 but by a smaller margin, percentage-wise, than Cole-McFadden and Woodard secured in winning their races. |
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| abb | Jul 3 2009, 03:49 AM Post #5 |
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http://heraldsun.southernheadlines.com/durham/4-1177900.cfm NAACP complains about news coverage BY JOHN MCCANN : The Herald-Sun jmccann@heraldsun.com Jul 3, 2009 Bookmark and Share DURHAM -- Local TV news directors acknowledged the significance of monitoring the state NAACP's push for the passage of the Racial Justice Act but didn't apologize for their stations last week not having cameras present at the civil rights organization's downtown news conference about the matter. The Racial Just Act is a bill in the state legislature that would allow those facing the death penalty to challenge their convictions on the basis of race. The idea is to address the disproportionate number of black men on death row. But at the news conference in front of the Durham County Judicial Building, state NAACP President William Barber had another skewed figure in mind -- the disproportionate number of TV cameras on hand to document the progress of the Racial Justice Act compared to all those lenses three years ago at those same courthouse steps trained on defendants and their lawyers when the Duke lacrosse situation was commanding so much attention. At the news conference, Barber pointed out that seemingly everybody that day was focused on S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford's rendezvous with the woman in Argentina. But the Racial Justice Act should have trumped that in terms of importance, Barber said. So the media's response -- or lack thereof -- made a statement about the concern for wrongfully convicted black people in this city, in this county, in this country, he contended. Asked this week about Barber's assessment regarding the press conference, local TV news directors respectfully disagreed. "I don't think this is a conversation about importance," NBC 17 News Director Nannette Hobson said. The news conference was reported on NBC 17 and details of it appeared on the TV station's Web site, she said. "We wish we could send a camera everywhere." Journalists never have been able to get to every event harkened by news releases. Members of the media these days would argue they're even more strapped to respond. Barber doesn't buy that. Neither does lawyer Al McSurely and others who were at the NAACP's news conference. Journalists cover what they deem important, and the Racial Justice Act obviously didn't rise to that level for them, NAACP supporters suggested. WRAL-TV News Director Rick Gall said other stories pulled at his crews that day, but the Racial Justice Act is something his journalists have covered and will continue to cover. ABC 11 News Director Rob Elmore said his journalists, too, have reported on the Racial Justice Act using both video and sound bites -- not just quick reads by news anchors. This particular piece of legislation is significant, and ABC 11 journalists will stay on top of its progress in the General Assembly, Elmore said. News 14 Carolina News Director Rick Willis said his team started covering the Racial Justice Act in August 2008. There's been more coverage this year, and Barber has been among those interviewed, Willis said. Barber even was invited to appear on a News 14 Carolina political show, Willis said. There was no shortage of news when the local NAACP held its news conference, so News 14 Carolina journalists just had to pick their spots, Willis said. "You have to make your decisions," Willis said. As for the Duke lacrosse scandal being the media darling the Racial Justice Act isn't, Hobson said, "You can't weigh one news day against another." |
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| abb | Jul 3 2009, 03:56 AM Post #6 |
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http://www.johnincarolina.com/ Thursday, July 02, 2009 DPD & The Non-Lacrosse Students At The Party Readers Note: On the thread of Nifong Copier “Discovery” Story: A Fantastic Lie there are six comments – three each from cks and skeptical – concerning the actions and inactions of DPD Duke lacrosse investigators in the first days and weeks of the hoax and frame attempt. I’ve combined cks and sceptical’s three comments each on the thread into two comments each here on the main page. Combining their comments that way sets up a Q&A which is very informative as to what DPD was and was not doing in Mar. and Apr. 2006 regarding the non-lacrosse students who were at the party. The exchange between cks and skeptical will also no doubt lead many of you to ask probing questions which ought to have been asked in 2006 by media and answered then by DPD. Keeping in mind the wise admonition: “Don’t get in the way of a good thing,” I’ll say nothing more in this post except "thank you" to cks and sceptical. John _____________________________________________ cks asks - - - If, as the news reports indicated, there were both students and non-students in attendance at the party, why were only lacrosse members' (who of course had to be students at Duke)pictures shown to Crystal Mangum? I think that this also goes to the heart of the frame. . . . sceptical responds - - - There were at least 2 students at the party who were not members of the lacrosse team-- Brent Saeli and Blake Boehimler (see Himan's case notes). That prompts cks to ask - - - This raises the question as to why those two students pictures were not a part of the photo array shown to Crystal? Who made the decision not to include them? Would their inclusion (in the photo line-up)have made the frame more difficult to maintain? sceptical answers - - - cks asks why pictures of [the two students] who were not lacrosse players were not shown to Mangum. The answer is that the police were not really sure of who was at the party, even among the lacrosse players. Duke Police gave them pictures of the lacrosse team which is what were used in the March 14 and 21 ID sessions with Mangum. The April 4 session used the pictures taken pursuant to the NTO on March 23. However, by then Himan had contacted and interviewed Brent and Blake. From his notes: ** 3/28/06 1720hrs - Went to the apartment of William Blake Boehmler ---/---/---- /7/84, he agreed to come to the station to talk about what happened on 3/13/06. Mr. Boehmler signed a non-custodial form and was advised that the meeting was voluntarily and he was free to go at any time and that he was not in custody. He stated that he was invited by some of the lacrosse players to the party, he stated that he came over. The girls started to dance he stated that none of them looked impaired and that he stated that there was an argument and someone mentioned something about a pimp. Mr. Bohemler stated he got scared and decided to leave (due to him being on probation) and that he left with Brent Saili back to 1107 Urban Ave. He gave name of friend that he was with at the time of the party and who he was during the night Brent Saeli... ** So pictures of Brent and Blake could have and should have been used in the April 4 session-- they were not. . . . Posted by JWM at 12:13 PM 0 comments |
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| abb | Jul 3 2009, 04:00 AM Post #7 |
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http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1593702.html Published: Jul 03, 2009 02:00 AM Modified: Jul 03, 2009 04:18 AM Glover Wilson In-law: Patrol chief forced out Former Commander Walter J. Wilson Jr. and state officials won't talk about it. BY DAN KANE, Staff Writer RALEIGH - The official story is State Highway Patrol Commander Walter J. Wilson Jr. decided to retire after a year on the job to spend more time with his family. That created the need for a successor, and Gov. Beverly Perdue appointed a lieutenant colonel, Randy Glover, to the post this week. But Wilson's brother-in-law said in an interview that story is not true. Wilson was forced out, Michael Madras said, because Perdue had someone else in mind for the state's top cop. Madras said he learned this from Wilson himself minutes after Wilson attended a meeting with Reuben Young, whom Perdue appointed to run the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety. Young told Wilson at that meeting June 22, just after Wilson returned from Disney World in Orlando with his family, that he needed to step down. "He went on vacation and came back, and his boss says, the governor wants you gone," Madras said. Wilson works at the patrol's headquarters, but he lives in Greenville, so during the workweek he often stays at the home of Madras and his wife, Penny, Wilson's sister. They live in Raleigh. The alternative version of events leading to Glover's promotion raises questions that Perdue, Young, Wilson and Glover would not discuss. All declined through spokesmen to be interviewed. Chrissy Pearson, Perdue's press secretary, would not say whether Perdue wanted Wilson out. Pearson also declined to say whether Perdue had sought to promote Glover into the job. "She accepted [Wilson's] letter, his intent to retire," Pearson said. "She instructed Secretary Young to quickly find a replacement, and when the secretary brought to her his recommendations, the governor reviewed his recommendations and the secretary implemented the promotions that she wanted to take place." Madras said Young gave Wilson no indication that he had done anything improper as commander. Wilson, 49, has been with the patrol for 29 years, holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute in Louisville , Ky. , and the FBI National Academy in Quantico , Va. Perdue's predecessor, Mike Easley, appointed Wilson in June 2008 to replace the retiring Fletcher Clay, who had held the job for nearly four years. At the time, the patrol was grappling with numerous scandals ranging from troopers caught in affairs while on duty to a canine unit shut down over allegations of mistreatment. Wilson did not intend to hold the position as a caretaker while voters decided who would succeed Easley. Perdue, a New Bern Democrat who had been lieutenant governor and a state senator, won the election. Madras said that over the first six months of Perdue's administration, Wilson unsuccessfully sought a meeting with her to discuss her plans for the patrol and whether she wanted him to continue. At one point, Madras said, Wilson asked Young whether he should step down, thinking Perdue's lack of contact was a sign she didn't plan to keep him in the job. Young encouraged Wilson to stay on. At the June 22 meeting, Young told Wilson he had to step down. Madras said that Wilson thought from that meeting that Perdue had someone else in mind for the job, but he did not tell Madras who that was. Capt. Everett Clendenin, a patrol spokesman, said Young would not talk about the conversations. "He considers those conversations private," Clendenin said in a statement. During the election, rumors swirled that Perdue would make Glover commander. Glover, 49, has also been with the patrol for 29 years and spent the first seven in Harnett County. He was transferred to Perdue's hometown in June 1987 and spent much of his career in that area, according to the Sun Journal of New Bern. He continues to live there. Wilson's retirement takes effect Aug. 1. The position pays $117,406 annually. News researcher BrookeCain contributed tothisreport. dan.kane@newsobserver.com or 919-829-4861 |
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| abb | Jul 3 2009, 04:03 AM Post #8 |
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http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1593709.html Published: Jul 03, 2009 02:00 AM Modified: Jul 03, 2009 04:22 AM Youmans was in stable condition Thursday. Durham Pollice Department Durham officer hurt in shooting Was responding to burglary report BY STANLEY B. CHAMBERS JR., STAFF WRITER DURHAM - Whoever fired the bullet that struck a Durham police officer in the abdomen Thursday should have known police were standing outside the door, Police Chief Jose L. Lopez Sr. said. Officer D.J. Youmans, a Durham officer for less than two months, and his training officer, Cpl. B.D. Schnee, were responding to a shots-fired call, which was upgraded to a burglary in progress, at the South Square Townhomes on Shannon Road about 4 a.m. Thursday. Officers at a nearby police substation heard the gunshots and were headed to the area when emergency dispatchers notified them of the burglary in apartment 5-A, Lopez said. Officers announced their presence at the front door of the apartment, Lopez said. They were met by bullets through that same door. Youmans, 32, was struck in an area unprotected by his bulletproof vest, just above his waist. He was listed in stable condition Thursday after undergoing surgery at Duke Hospital. Thomas Rashawn Monroe, 23, whose listed address is the apartment, was charged Thursday afternoon with assault on a law enforcement officer with a firearm. He was in the Durham County jail Thursday evening in lieu of $250,000 bail. None of the officers returned fire, something Lopez praised. "The reality of it is they had no targets to shoot at," he said. "You have to know who you're shooting at. You can't just shoot randomly into the dark or into [a] space if you don't know what's behind it. The big concern is once the officer is injured, that he is removed safely." Monroe was convicted of carrying a concealed weapon in 2005 and of drug possession in 2006. Investigators on Thursday were looking for the weapon used in the shooting. Four people who were inside the apartment were questioned by police, who executed a search warrant at the home Thursday afternoon. Youmans was one of two Triangle police officers who faced gunfire Thursday. Raleigh Police Sgt. B.D. Allen's vehicle was riddled with bullets while he pursued bank robbery suspects late Thursday morning. He was not hit. Youmans was a New York City police officer from 2003 to 2008. His last assignment was patrolling the public housing areas in northern Manhattan, including the Harlem and Washington Heights neighborhoods, the department said. Youmans became a Durham officer in May. The last Durham officer shot in the line of duty was injured during a similar call. Officer D.B. Vereen was responding to a break-in call on Cherrycrest Drive in September 2007 when he was shot in the arm and upper back. Gunfire was exchanged after Vereen confronted two suspects in the back of the home. Resident calls area quiet The South Square complex, which takes up both sides of Shannon Road between University Drive and Martin Luther King Parkway, is near the South Square shopping area in western Durham. Crime scene tape stretched throughout the parking lot where the shooting occurred. At least nine evidence markers were placed outside the apartment. Keyetta Green, who has lived in the complex since 2006, thought she heard machine-gun fire when the shooting happened. She initially thought the shots were from a drive-by shooting. "I do not like cops getting shot," said Green, 30, who has lost loved ones to gun violence. "Cops try to help us. This is going to tear his family apart." The area is generally quiet, but a few robberies targeting Hispanics last year, said Roger Hayes, who has lived in the complex for two years. "I think it was a random act," said Hayes, 36. "I haven't seen or heard anything like that happen here. Last night could've been any night." The shooting Thursday demonstrates how dangerous being a police officer can be, Lopez said. "This reminds us of how courageous the officers are who do this day to day, knowing that these incidents are likely," he said. "We need people to continue to pray for him in order for him to get through this." stan.chambers@newsobserver.com or 919-932-2025 |
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| abb | Jul 3 2009, 04:09 AM Post #9 |
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http://www.charlotteobserver.com/local/story/814038.html Probation officers may get more time to handle big cases By Kevin Kiley kkiley@newsobserver.com Posted: Friday, Jul. 03, 2009 RALEIGH Lawmakers are taking a small weight off the state's overburdened probation system. The House gave final approval Thursday to a bill that lightens probation officers' caseloads by allowing them to move probationers charged only with misdemeanors to unsupervised probation. “We're trying to clear the calendar so these officers can focus more on the cases that are more serious,” said Sen. John Snow, a Democrat from Murphy and the bill's sponsor. The law would apply to low-risk offenders on parole only to ensure that they make court-ordered payments. These probationers do not make up a large percentage of caseloads. Officers would make the decisions about who would be moved. Under unsupervised probation, offenders would still be required to regularly pay fines at the courthouse, but would not be checked in on unless they failed to pay. The law is one of several bills moving through the legislature this session that would alter the probation system. The changes come after the March 2008 death of UNC Student Body President Eve Carson exposed flaws in the state's system. A News & Observer series found that the system, because of too much work and too few employees, lost track of nearly 14,000 convicted criminals. The Department of Correction supported the measure. While a spokesman for the department said the staff isn't sure how big an impact the law will have on caseloads, he said it does offer some improvement. “We really see it as providing officers some relief to focus on more serious offenders,” said George Dudley, spokesman for the department. A 2004 study about how to improve the state's probation system originally proposed the idea, but it wasn't taken up by the legislature until this session. |
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| Quasimodo | Jul 3 2009, 07:07 AM Post #10 |
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And why was there so much attention focused on the lacrosse case? (Do Barber and Al McSurely know anything about why that might be?)  |
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| nyesq83 | Jul 3 2009, 08:02 AM Post #11 |
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Barber and McSurely were tripping over each other to hog the limelight and beat the drum (or tap the casserole, as it were) on behalf of their sainted Madonna-Whore |
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10:39 PM Dec 4
