MSNBC Banned From Rittenhouse Trial

[Sympthsical]

Apparently, someone who claims they're a producer from MSNBC said his boss in New York told him to follow the jury bus after it left the courthouse last night.

Yeah, that's a no no.

The judge just banned MSNBC from the court for the rest of the trial.

[FSogol]

1. Source? n/t

[Devil Child]

2. I gotchu

https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/suspect-arrested-for-trying-to-photograph-rittenhouse-jurors-kenosha-police-say/article/_bf797a95-395c-521d-bb9c-8e79a2558543.html

And straight from the mouth of the judge on the stream

[Sympthsical]

3. I'm watching the trial

Does that make me the source?! Oh, that would be exciting.

[Devil Child]

6. Both of us are!

We saw the same and made identical and nearly timed posts.

So we can verify each-other to protect against "debunking."

[Sympthsical]

13. High five!

Though, now that we're officially reporters, I'm relieved.

I can stop trying to figure out what the facts are and just breeze on by with supposition. I will now pay only a quarter of the attention I had been previously.

[Devil Child]

30. Can I cite you as an "anonymous source" when needed?

Trying to get comfortable in this new role

[Sympthsical]

31. Only if I can cite you in random human interest stories.

At least a dozen or so before people notice it's the same person I've been citing as a random local for five years.

[Tomconroy]

8. Ha!

[Devil Child]

4. Additional info Sympthsical

The investigation is ongoing, the KPD said, adding that the person was "issued several traffic related citations."

According to the KPD, no pictures of any jurors were actually taken by the individual. Judge Bruce Schroeder said the person identified themselves as "James J. Morrison who claimed he was a producer for NBC News, employed by MSNBC."

Morrison allegedly said he was told to follow the jury bus by his boss in New York, identified as Irene Byon. "He was taken in for violating a traffic control signal," Schroeder said.

According to Schroeder, nobody else from NBC News "will be permitted in this building," the Kenosha County Courthouse, "for the duration of this trial. This is a very serious matter ... Someone following a jury bus, that is a very serious matter that will be referred to the proper authorities for further action."

https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/suspect-arrested-for-trying-to-photograph-rittenhouse-jurors-kenosha-police-say/article/_bf797a95-395c-521d-bb9c-8e79a2558543.html

All named individuals have quickly scrubbed their socials

[forthemiddle]

5. Couldn't that be seen as jury intimidation?

Is the whole world trying for a mistrial?

[RayTy]

7. whats the issue exactly?

We should have the right to know who these people are if this is a fair justice system. Also what if the judge is just lying to keep the press he doesn't like out? He made comments about the media not being friendly to them.

[Sympthsical]

9. Jury intimidation is a thing

Especially in a case as charged as this one. People have already made threats online.

That is why they are kept anonymous.

[Tomconroy]

12. So the right and left can harass them?

[Amishman]

16. Jury intimidation

Only way to somewhat mitigate outside influence on the jury is keep them anonymous.

Imagine the bribes that the rich could pull off if they knew their jury's identities

[RayTy]

23. fair point

Never thought about bribing them being a thing but it's a possibility. I just think don't have a lot of confidence in the system as its been rigged since its beginning. The priveleged seem to always get out one way or another though.

[WarGamer]

20. YOU'RE KIDDING, RIGHT?

[Ocelot II]

29. Not until after the trial is over, and maybe not even then.

The press should absolutely not be talking to jurors or identifying them, and the reason should be obvious. The names of the Derek Chauvin trial jurors were disclosed only last week.

[Hekate]

70. Death threats, what do you think?

[ForgedCrank]

92. Surely you aren't being serious.

Right?

[xmas74]

10. There is a Twitter thread

Stating it's a pretty common occurrence. It might not be right or decent but very common.

Link to tweet

?s=20

[Sympthsical]

21. I'll wait for non-Twitter sources

To see what all the details are.

I'm just reporting what happened on the trial feed.

Twitter . . . doesn't have a great record with this trial. Or anything, really.

[xmas74]

24. NBC News also has a statement on Twitter

Stating Morrison is freelance.

[Sympthsical]

28. I'll wait for details

They'll come out, probably sooner rather than later.

NBC is going to release a statement to make it as innocent as possible. That's perfectly natural.

We'll see how it washes out.

[Kingofalldems]

33. Wow another screwup by the judge.

He needs to apologize and reinstate MSNBC.

[ForgedCrank]

93. For what?

Trying to protect the integrity of the trial and the safety of innocent jurors?
Sometimes I just don't understand things around here.

[Steelrolled]

52. I think big news companies hire freelancers to do the dirty work.

It happens in a lot of industries, to try to insulate yourself in case of problems.

[xmas74]

55. Of course

A friend posted on Facebook. He did freelance until he decided to stay home with the kids. He said the money is decent but of course no benefits. He also said they were mostly given free reign to "get the story". They were expected to check in but it was well known you didn't necessarily discuss how the sausage was made, as they say. This way the liability is on the freelancer and not the network.

I wish I could share his post. I'll ask for his consent since it's a friends only post.

[Steelrolled]

57. It was (and still is I think) common practice in industry to use

"consultants" or "facilitators" to handle bribes to help win contracts, particularly with foreign governments. If caught, the company who hired them plead ignorance. Of course the US government was on to this decades ago, and make the company responsible for the actions of the "consultants".

[xmas74]

59. Yep.

That's exactly why in this reporter's case he could be freelance for a network yet receive no actual direction from them. The order is to get the story-that's all.

[Devil Child]

62. The busted freelancer named NBC producer Irene Byon the one directing him

She has rapidly deleted her social media accounts.

[xmas74]

66. I could say Mike Parson told me to do something

Since as a state employee he is technically my boss. Did he? No, but I could say it.

[Devil Child]

67. Were you caught running a red-light while following a van of jurors in a very high-profile trial?

Employed as freelancer, a freelancer with a social media history that states employment history with NBC? Helps with my what-if'n.

[xmas74]

69. Once again,

People have no qualms blaming someone else if they think they'll get out of the situation.

[Dr. Strange]

87. You could.

I could say Mike Parson told me to do something
Since as a state employee he is technically my boss. Did he? No, but I could say it.

But if you did do that, what are the chances that he would delete his social media accounts?

[xmas74]

90. His office has deleted entire posts on Facebook

And chances are legal would tell her to delete,even if she didn't give him the order to chase the bus. Union always told us to delete socials as soon as any allegations were made. I don't see it as any different in this case.

[xmas74]

68. For that matter,

As a union steward I've been called into disciplinary meetings where someone stated that "the steward said it was ok" and then named whichever steward was on their card. By your reasoning someone saying I stated it was OK means I actually said it, even if I've never held a single conversation with the person.

Does it happen? More often than you think. People will gladly pass along the blame if it keeps them out of trouble,even if the other person had nothing to do with it.

[ChubbyStar]

73. I'm right there with you

He sure gave information up pretty quickly. Sounds like a CYA move if I ever did see one. I'm no fan of cable TV but this sounds more than a bit manufactured to me.

[xmas74]

74. I spent 23 years working in mental health

Few people will gladly accept the consequences of their actions. If they find a way put they take it.

[ChubbyStar]

75. I'm real interested in the freelancers real story

I think this is going to unravel pretty quickly.

[xmas74]

76. Sure, the producer could have given the order

But it's just as likely no.

As to comments about deleting social media she was probably advised by legal counsel. I was just a steward and that was the first thing we'd tell people-shut up and delete your socials. Why? Because people will look for things to take out of context. They'll also use it in an attempt to contact you and then claim your silence is admission of a wrongdoing.

[ChubbyStar]

77. We have a poster on DU speculating that her socials were shut down because she is untruthful

Yep. Right here. Same poster has lots of other opinions being blasted as facts.

[xmas74]

79. I know who it is.

They've jumped into every thread about Rittenhouse, loudly proclaiming his innocence.

[ChubbyStar]

81. Gee why doesn't that surprise me

Funny position to take on DU.

[xmas74]

82. Ikr!

He has several supporters here.

[ChubbyStar]

83. Well it was nice to chat with you!

I'm not a supporter of his, quite frankly he can fuck all the way off to prison.

[xmas74]

84. Same

I'm originally from Kenosha so I definitely have a dog in the fight. I'm hoping to return someday.

[ForgedCrank]

94. How many of our "friends"

would stand up?
I teach that to my own kids.
Say you are driving down the road with your buddy X in the passenger seat and get pulled over. A joint is found on the floor in the back seat and could only have gotten there by your buddy tossing it there. Do you think for one second your "buddy" will go to jail and deal with the wrath of his own parents if he can blame you? Maybe, but those are very rare friends.
Lesson: check their damned pockets if necessary before they get in the car. People will do some dastardly things to save their own hide. Hand out complete trust in a very sparing manner.
This story is just more validation, these two will point the finger at each other til the cows come home.

[xmas74]

95. Exactly

Unless there is documented evidence we will never know. I just think far too many are taking his word at face value without any proof.

[RockRaven]

22. The judge got his excuse to lash out at the media whose criticism he's angry about, and he

won't waste the opportunity.

[Devil Child]

25. What are your thoughts on media hiring and tasking people to follow jury buses?

Judge was clearly right to admonish. This jury needs sequestering and should have been from the start.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

36. So you'd be fine with Fox News doing it?

[Sapient Donkey]

88. Obviously this guy should be trying to cover his own ass by blaming the woman at MSNBC

but if he produces evidence of her telling him to do so, would your view on this change at all?

[sarisataka]

42. Well if that's the case

NBC will simply say we told our reporter to do what is a common practice, "Happens all the time"

[tenderfoot]

11. Oh it's gotta be true! Why would the "honorable" Judge lie?

[Devil Child]

14. Because a reporter employed by NBC was arrested running red lights while following the juror's bus

and told police he was instructed to do so by his boss at NBC.

The investigation is ongoing, the KPD said, adding that the person was "issued several traffic related citations."

According to the KPD, no pictures of any jurors were actually taken by the individual. Judge Bruce Schroeder said the person identified themselves as "James J. Morrison who claimed he was a producer for NBC News, employed by MSNBC."

Morrison allegedly said he was told to follow the jury bus by his boss in New York, identified as Irene Byon. "He was taken in for violating a traffic control signal," Schroeder said.

According to Schroeder, nobody else from NBC News "will be permitted in this building," the Kenosha County Courthouse, "for the duration of this trial. This is a very serious matter ... Someone following a jury bus, that is a very serious matter that will be referred to the proper authorities for further action."

https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/suspect-arrested-for-trying-to-photograph-rittenhouse-jurors-kenosha-police-say/article/_bf797a95-395c-521d-bb9c-8e79a2558543.html

[Diablo del sol]

46. See upthread, no confirmation from any source that I see.

Have to add, did the reporter cross state lines?

[Celerity]

61. Here

https://www.google.com/amp/s/heavy.com/news/james-morrison-irene-byon/amp/

[RayTy]

17. Exactly.

I think he's full of it and just wants to keep the media out so we can't see his behavior.

[Kingofalldems]

18. That jury sure is out a long time.

Gotta be worrisome for Rittenhouse and his fans on the right.

[qazplm135]

26. Could mean anything

There's a lot of charges to work through.

Could mean guilty on some but not all murder charges or could be not guilty but guilty on some of the lesser charges. Could be holdouts.

I will agree that full acquittals usually happen relatively quickly.

[ChubbyStar]

60. The longer this goes on the bleaker it looks for the little pimple face NAZI

Nice to see you King.

[Kingofalldems]

71. Same here my friend.

[Politicub]

15. There will be more to this story. I don't trust anything the judge

says.

It doesn’t make any sense for NBC to dispatch a reporter to follow the bus.

[Amishman]

19. Seems very cut and dry, reporter was arrested running red lights to keep up

Judge is a turd, but MSNBC got caught red handed

[xmas74]

27. NBC has stated he was freelance

And that he did not receive that order.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

38. As one would expect them to say.

I obviously don't know the whole story, but NBC could have told them to do it.

[xmas74]

43. CNN also states he was a known freelancer nt

[Cuthbert Allgood]

47. Doesn't mean he wasn't directed to do something.

I'll wait for more to come out before I take a side.

[uponit7771]

86. Yeah, by FAUX News ... we have as much evidence they "directed" something as MSNBC

[Sapient Donkey]

89. I think the guy would have to provide something to support his claims

that he was doing it for MSNBC at their request. If he can't do that, then we have no way of knowing if he's just trying to deflect or not. Which would suck for him if he was told, but there is no email trail or something to back him up. But ultimately he made the decision to do it either way. So, he's just as guilty whether he was doing it on his own or at the request of the MSNBC producer. The only question is if MSNBC is also to blame in this, and that requires some sort of supporting evidence. At least it does for me to accept it.

[SledDriver]

32. Wonder what would've happened if he claimed to be from Faux News?

[Devil Child]

35. The exact same thing

Just change the words MSNBC/NBC to Fox News when imagining.

[SledDriver]

72. The point of my question was that I wouldn't put it past

someone working for Faux News to trail the jurors in order to expose/dox/intimidate them.

If it works and you don't get caught - Faux News.

If it doesn't and you get caught - claim to be from MSNBC.

[Kingofalldems]

34. So the judge said that in court?

About the producer being ordered to follow?

[Sympthsical]

39. Yes

I'm quoting from the judge's remarks.

"[the reporter] had stated he had been instructed by Ms. Byon (sp?) in New York to follow the jury bus."

[Klaralven]

37. NBC News confirms freelancer was stopped near Rittenhouse jurors but denies wrongdoing

https://www.rawstory.com/rittenhouse-msnbc-james-morrison/

[Devil Child]

41. Tells me everything I need to know with this wormy denial

"Last night, a freelancer received a traffic citation. While the traffic violation took place near the jury van, the freelancer never contacted or intended to contact the jurors during deliberations, and never photographed or intended to photograph them," the network said in a statement to CNN chief media correspondent Brian Stelter.

NBC rolled the dice trying to get info on the jurors and failed critically in their attempt.

[Steelrolled]

48. LOL - the traffic stop prevented the "reporter" from getting

photos of the jurors, or where they were going to.

I'd be happy to see all of the cable news people getting banned from the courtroom, just on general principles

[ChubbyStar]

63. You are rolling your dice with name calling and speculation

How is that working out for you?

[Thomas Hurt]

40. Regardless of who the dude was, what he actually did, or who he worked for...

it is another bone thrown to the fascists to play up.

[Poiuyt]

44. Why is the entire network penalized for the actions of one producer/reporter?

MSNBC should still be able to cover the trial albeit with a different crew.

[Sympthsical]

45. Serious violations require serious sanctions

Jury intimidation, especially in a capital murder case with political implications, is no joke.

It's not just a shot at MSNBC, it's a warning to the other news organizations.

[Steelrolled]

50. I think you need to make it hurt at the top.

MSNBC has no concern over the freelancer who got caught. They would just ditch him and hire replacements - and this time tell them to keep their mouth shut if caught! It's all about journalistic integrity you know!

[ChubbyStar]

64. Oh he called you to tell you that?

Please keep us up to date with your inside information from the freelancer. Thanks.

[fescuerescue]

80. They can still cover the trial.

They just are allowed in the courtroom.

[Diablo del sol]

49. CNN reporting.

PD statement does not call out MSNBC or NBC.

Reports it was a freelancer.

I will wait for confirmation

[a kennedy]

51. Just saw on faux noise that it was a "freelancer"......hey gotta trust faux noise right???

[Diablo del sol]

53. So you are confirming another outlet says Freelance.

Police did not name MSNBC, all sources so far say freelance.

[a kennedy]

54. a freelancer from MSNBC/NBC......is what faux is saying

[Diablo del sol]

56. CNN insinuated MSNBC.

Did fox do the same? Freelance contracted by MSNBC can be validated.

Again Police Dept release did not name outlet.

Should and will be confirmed independent of Judge.

[Busterscruggs]

85. Probably

A false flag from faux news to make the more sane news sources look bad.

[Paladin]

58. Hate to see MSNBC doing such favors for that piece-of-shit judge. (nt)

[ChubbyStar]

65. I'm a cynic but I think this clown was flying solo on this

I don't dispute that he is a freelancer who has worked for MSNBC that much is clear, but I am skeptical of his story here. MSNBC is not a small time news organization, this is amateur bullshit with a designed purpose. We shall see.

[AngryOldDem]

78. Facepalm

But such is the journalism biz these days.

[Jacson6]

91. ComcastUniversal Will Simply make the employees NBC Employees instead of MSNBC

It is one big conglomerate!