beltman713
06-25-2005, 10:56 AM
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050625/NEWS01/50624062/1001
Transcript: WLOS asked man to smoke pot
Case referred to Buncombe County district attorney
By Clarke Morrison
STAFF WRITER
published: June 25, 2005 6:00 am
ASHEVILLE — Federal prosecutors Friday reviewed a court transcript in which a WLOS-TV reporter describes prodding a source to smoke marijuana for a news story and referred the case to the Buncombe County district attorney.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Edwards said he sent the case to Buncombe County District Attorney Ron Moore’s office “for them to handle in whatever manner they deem appropriate.”
In a WLOS report about the use of marijuana for medical purposes, Steven William Ward was seen rolling a joint and puffing on it. Ward, at the time of the June 8 broadcast, was awaiting sentencing in federal court for threatening to kill a judge.
His probation officer saw the footage, resulting in a hearing Tuesday in which U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis Howell revoked Ward’s probation and sent him to prison. The judge found that Ward had violated the terms of his probation by using drugs.
WLOS reporter Charu Kumarhia (http://www.wlos.com/news/bios/kumarhia.htm) was subpoenaed to testify at the bond revocation hearing. According to a transcript of the hearing obtained by the Citizen-Times, Kumarhia testified that Ward, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, contacted the station to talk about the issue of medical marijuana, and she arranged to meet him at his residence for an interview.
Under questioning by Edwards, Kumarhia described the interview that took place as a WLOS photographer looked on:
“We interviewed Mr. Ward, and we asked him — I asked him, ‘Do you smoke marijuana?’ And he said, ‘Very rarely, but on occasion.’ And I said, ‘Would you smoke that for this story? We are doing a story about marijuana use.’ And I said, ‘Look, if it worries you a little bit, you know, I understand. That’s fine. We can use file video from CNN or ABC, the network.’ And he said, ‘Well, let me see what I can do.’ He made a phone call, then asked us to leave.”
Kumarhia testified that she left and returned about an hour and a half later. Ward then poured out of a medicine bottle what appeared to her to be brown leaves, rolled them into a cigarette and took one or two puffs as the camera rolled.
The television station referred comment to its attorney, who said Friday that the station had done nothing wrong.
Probation officer Eric Simpson testified that after the segment aired, Ward said he took two puffs of marijuana but didn’t inhale. But in a later interview Ward denied the substance was marijuana, as he did on the stand during Tuesday’s hearing. Simpson also said a drug test performed on Ward turned up negative.
In closing arguments to the judge, Edwards called the claim the substance wasn’t marijuana “just incredible” and said a drug test could easily come back negative if only one or two puffs were taken.
Defense attorney Charles Brewer said his client didn’t intend to flaunt the court’s order that he not use illegal drugs while on probation.
“And the evidence is clear from the government’s own testimony that the idea of him doing this was not his. The idea came from them (WLOS),” Brewer said. “They told him that that would be a desirable thing from the standpoint of running that story.”
In issuing his ruling, Judge Howell said he had no doubt Ward obtained a controlled substance and used it.
Gary Rowe, an attorney representing WLOS, attended the bond revocation hearing. He said Friday that Kumarhia and the television station acted properly.
“I clearly think she didn’t do anything wrong,” said Rowe, who also represents the Citizen-Times in some cases. “I don’t think (Kumarhia) crossed the line. I don’t think she was a participant in that conduct.
“WLOS if anything was a bystander in what was going on here. And I think that Mr. Ward knew exactly what he was doing. And, if anything, he orchestrated what was done.”
Edwards told Howell at the hearing: “I don’t know where the intersection is between criminal law and the First Amendment, but I’d be surprised if the fact that you’re carrying a TV camera immunizes you from consequences for procuring or inducing the commission of a crime.”
Moore could not be reached Friday.
Bob Steele, journalism values scholar for the nonprofit Florida-based journalism think tank Poynter Institute, said he couldn’t comment specifically on the case but offered some general guidelines.
“Journalists should observe and report on events and issues,” he said. “Journalists should ask questions and describe scenes. Journalists should not change the activity of an event, nor the actions of an individual.
“Journalists should not ask individuals to do things in the process of reporting a story or conducting interviews. This would be particularly true if there’s any question of ethical or legal behavior on the part of someone we are interviewing or observing or photographing.”
Contact Morrison at 232-5849 or cmorrison@CITIZEN-TIMES.com.
Transcript: WLOS asked man to smoke pot
Case referred to Buncombe County district attorney
By Clarke Morrison
STAFF WRITER
published: June 25, 2005 6:00 am
ASHEVILLE — Federal prosecutors Friday reviewed a court transcript in which a WLOS-TV reporter describes prodding a source to smoke marijuana for a news story and referred the case to the Buncombe County district attorney.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Edwards said he sent the case to Buncombe County District Attorney Ron Moore’s office “for them to handle in whatever manner they deem appropriate.”
In a WLOS report about the use of marijuana for medical purposes, Steven William Ward was seen rolling a joint and puffing on it. Ward, at the time of the June 8 broadcast, was awaiting sentencing in federal court for threatening to kill a judge.
His probation officer saw the footage, resulting in a hearing Tuesday in which U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis Howell revoked Ward’s probation and sent him to prison. The judge found that Ward had violated the terms of his probation by using drugs.
WLOS reporter Charu Kumarhia (http://www.wlos.com/news/bios/kumarhia.htm) was subpoenaed to testify at the bond revocation hearing. According to a transcript of the hearing obtained by the Citizen-Times, Kumarhia testified that Ward, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, contacted the station to talk about the issue of medical marijuana, and she arranged to meet him at his residence for an interview.
Under questioning by Edwards, Kumarhia described the interview that took place as a WLOS photographer looked on:
“We interviewed Mr. Ward, and we asked him — I asked him, ‘Do you smoke marijuana?’ And he said, ‘Very rarely, but on occasion.’ And I said, ‘Would you smoke that for this story? We are doing a story about marijuana use.’ And I said, ‘Look, if it worries you a little bit, you know, I understand. That’s fine. We can use file video from CNN or ABC, the network.’ And he said, ‘Well, let me see what I can do.’ He made a phone call, then asked us to leave.”
Kumarhia testified that she left and returned about an hour and a half later. Ward then poured out of a medicine bottle what appeared to her to be brown leaves, rolled them into a cigarette and took one or two puffs as the camera rolled.
The television station referred comment to its attorney, who said Friday that the station had done nothing wrong.
Probation officer Eric Simpson testified that after the segment aired, Ward said he took two puffs of marijuana but didn’t inhale. But in a later interview Ward denied the substance was marijuana, as he did on the stand during Tuesday’s hearing. Simpson also said a drug test performed on Ward turned up negative.
In closing arguments to the judge, Edwards called the claim the substance wasn’t marijuana “just incredible” and said a drug test could easily come back negative if only one or two puffs were taken.
Defense attorney Charles Brewer said his client didn’t intend to flaunt the court’s order that he not use illegal drugs while on probation.
“And the evidence is clear from the government’s own testimony that the idea of him doing this was not his. The idea came from them (WLOS),” Brewer said. “They told him that that would be a desirable thing from the standpoint of running that story.”
In issuing his ruling, Judge Howell said he had no doubt Ward obtained a controlled substance and used it.
Gary Rowe, an attorney representing WLOS, attended the bond revocation hearing. He said Friday that Kumarhia and the television station acted properly.
“I clearly think she didn’t do anything wrong,” said Rowe, who also represents the Citizen-Times in some cases. “I don’t think (Kumarhia) crossed the line. I don’t think she was a participant in that conduct.
“WLOS if anything was a bystander in what was going on here. And I think that Mr. Ward knew exactly what he was doing. And, if anything, he orchestrated what was done.”
Edwards told Howell at the hearing: “I don’t know where the intersection is between criminal law and the First Amendment, but I’d be surprised if the fact that you’re carrying a TV camera immunizes you from consequences for procuring or inducing the commission of a crime.”
Moore could not be reached Friday.
Bob Steele, journalism values scholar for the nonprofit Florida-based journalism think tank Poynter Institute, said he couldn’t comment specifically on the case but offered some general guidelines.
“Journalists should observe and report on events and issues,” he said. “Journalists should ask questions and describe scenes. Journalists should not change the activity of an event, nor the actions of an individual.
“Journalists should not ask individuals to do things in the process of reporting a story or conducting interviews. This would be particularly true if there’s any question of ethical or legal behavior on the part of someone we are interviewing or observing or photographing.”
Contact Morrison at 232-5849 or cmorrison@CITIZEN-TIMES.com.