This is just rediculous. Absurd. I am so disappointed, disgusted, and angry with this local television station. In case you haven't seen this story, the police officers investigating a gang rape in Galveston last week told the media that the incident was videotaped, and asked for their help in locating the tape. KHOU (Channel 11) found the tape -- and purchased it. Instead of turning the tape over, they aired portions of it -- before even giving police a chance to view it. Now they refuse to even turn over a copy of the tape without a court order. Unbelievable. Any thoughts? Opinions? Can anyone here justify this? From the Chronicle: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/metropolitan/865516 ------------------ Stay Cool...
You are right Jeff. I used to think NBC was the worst too, but they are nothing compared to this CBS crap! ------------------
This is from KHOU.com: http://www.khou.com/news/stories/7644.html Galveston Authorities View Videotape 11:02 PM April 01, 2001 The Galveston County Sheriff's Office has reviewed a tape showing the moments leading up to an alleged gang rape on Crystal Beach. That tape was obtained exclusively by KHOU. The college student who had the videotape says the 18-year-old female consented to sex. The victim's mother, who has also seen the tape, says her daughter was attacked against her will. And the mother says while her daughter may have shown poor judgement, she never consented. Galveston County Sheriff's sergeant Mike Barry viewed the tape with KHOU Reporter Jeremy Desel Sunday afternoon at the KHOU studios. The meeting lasted 45 minutes. In that time Barry watched the 50 second tape several times, and watched it frame by frame. The first 25 seconds of the tape show a woman pulling up her top and being fondled by several young men. Sergeant Barry says the woman does not appear to be fighting the men, and that no crime appears to have been committed. Desel asked Barry if he felt a crime was seen on that part of the tape. Barry said,"I'd have to really review that tape more to make that determination. Obviously the lady was smiling at that point so I would say no." The tape then cuts to an apparently unrelated scene for another 20 seconds. Then there is a quick image of a street scene. In it is what investigators say is the victim's car surrounded by five young men. Next there are several frames of video, less than a second long, of what appears to be the same woman. At this point she is reclined and partially clothed. That's where the tape ends. Justin Fletcher is an 18 year old college student. He supplied the tape to KHOU. Fletcher says the battery in the camera died at that point. That's why there is nothing else on the tape. Sergeant Barry says the key question is what happened in that car to the victim. Barry said,"There is no violation of the law here where the young man who videotaped this uh has committed. No there is no crime here. In fact it's very beneficial." Investigators still want to talk to Justin Fletcher. He says he'll meet with them next weekend. The Galveston County Sheriff's Department has yet to contact any KHOU manager to request a copy of the tape. Station managers say in accordance with KHOU news policy, once a court order or a subpoena is received, the station will immediately turn over the tape to authorties. Sergeant Berry says he will meet with the district attorney's office in Galveston county in the morning to seek a court order. KHOU Managers say the moment that order is received, the tape will be turned over to investigators. ------------------ "The idea of a band nowadays is five pretty boys, one with a tattoo, one with a shaved head, and on and on. I mean, I like Britney Spears, I think she's pretty, but I'm not from the Mickey Mouse Club. I'm from the Godzilla club!" ---Ozzy Osbourne [This message has been edited by Lynus302 (edited April 02, 2001).]
I hate the news, and I really hate the tools that sell their souls to be a part of this crap. ------------------
How many of you feel the same way after reading the KHOU article that Lynus302 posted? Based on that article, isn't the title of this thread a wee bit misleading? It says "won't turn over to police". I don't recall them saying that. They said they'd do so with a court order. Secondly, the article itself says that the sergeant who viewed the tape said he saw no wrong-doing on the tape. Of course apparently the camera cut out, so who knows what happened after that. Thirdly, the article says that the Sheriff's office hasn't even requested a copy of the tape. ------------------ "I hate being in the lottery as much as the next guy, but come on people, that's where we need to be right now. We still don't have all of the pieces" -- Gascon, in conjunction with Clutch's Lottery Generator, has fired the starter's pistol on this season's lottery race. Let the tanking begin!
The problem is that story came from Channel 11's report. Of course they're gonna paint themselves in a good way. If maybe an outside media source was on their side it would be different. Unfortunately Channel 2 or whatever's not gonna save 11. It's just one biased media group against another. It sucks. ------------------
The news media has traditionally been unwilling to turn over materials to the police without court order. This policy is often taken under the guise of protecting the source. But since the police routinely ask for materials they have no right to view, it's easier and safer to just deny every police request and require a court order before turning materials over. Until there is a court order, the press is under no obligation to cooperate with the police. They didn't even have to allow the Sheriff access to the tape in order to view it at the station. ------------------ Houston Sports Board
maybe it's a legal 1st admendment rights thing Esp considering the Cameraman could be indicted. . . self incrimination etc. Rocket River ------------------
The title isn't misleading at all -- they said they wouldn't turn it over to the police unless they receive a court order to do so. Mr. Paige I think the difference here is that KHOU didn't know about the tape -- and probably wouldn't have -- until the Galveston County Sheriff's office told them about it. Investigators found out about the tape, and asked KHOU and others to put on the air a request for the individual to turn over the tape to the police. When KHOU was contacted by Mr. Fletcher, they didn't suggest he turn over the tape to the authorities as requested. Instead, they bought it, aired it, and then told the police they could watch it, but they would not turn it over without a court order. It's worth noting that KHOU received the tape Friday, aired it Saturday, and didn't show it to investigators until Sunday -- after then backlash started. The main reason they wanted the tape was to identify suspects -- and those suspects know exactly what information the police have. This could make it more difficult for police to locate the individuals. The other part I find irresponsible is the way KHOU presented it as if nothing had happened -- because it wasn't on the tape. Even if she took her top off, and even if she allowed someone to fondle her chest, that doesn't mean they had the right to rape her. Though a rape isn't on the tape, the fact that they collected "Semen and other DNA evidence" suggests to me that something else happened here. ------------------ Stay Cool... [This message has been edited by dc sports (edited April 02, 2001).]
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/metropolitan/865516 April 2, 2001, 7:11AM Airing rape video is labeled 'unethical' -- Galveston officer hits broadcast in rape case By CAROL CHRISTIAN -- Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle It was unethical for a Houston television station to show a videotape of activities associated with a young woman's rape last month on Crystal Beach, a Galveston County detective said Sunday. Portions of the tape, shot March 13 by university student Justin Fletcher, were shown on KHOU-TV Channel 11's newscast Saturday night. The newscast included comments from Fletcher, who disputed reports that the 18-year-old Houston high school senior was raped. He told the station that she did not run or try to roll up her car windows when a group of men surrounded her four-door Hyundai Elantra near the beach. Fletcher could not be contacted for comment Sunday. Although the station did not air all of the 45-second tape, the newscast included a verbal description of the young woman holding a bikini top out her car window just before several young men ran up to the car and fondled her. Such descriptions may convey the idea that the woman played a part in the assault, but that does not mean the attackers were innocent of committing a crime, said Sgt. Mike Barry of the Galveston County Sheriff's Department criminal investigation division. "When a woman has been raped, whatever happened before has no bearing on it," Barry said. "I'm very, very, very unhappy with Channel 11." Barry said investigators had told the media about the existence of a videotape in order to ask the public's help in locating it. "That has been accomplished, but it's not in the right hands," Barry said. "For them to show it on TV was unethical, in my opinion." Barry said he had not seen the tape but was going to Houston to view it. He also said he intended to interview Fletcher. Barry said he would seek a court order today to subpoena the tape. Channel 11 news director Mike Devlin said he thought the station, which, along with CNN, bought the rights to the videotape, would comply with the subpoena's terms once it is served. Devlin said he expected the station to receive the subpoena today. KHOU-TV obtained the tape Friday, Devlin said, although he did not know how or why Fletcher gave it to Channel 11. Devlin declined to offer an opinion about what the tape depicted but noted Fletcher's contention that the young woman gave her consent. "Both her parents strongly disagree with that characterization," Devlin said. Her mother told the TV station: "Even if she did tempt them, it doesn't give them a right ... to do that to anyone." The victim told the Galveston County Sheriff's Department that she was driving along the beach with a 15-year-old male friend near Kahla Road just after midnight on a Tuesday during the spring break period when she was sexually assaulted. A mob surrounded her car, and two men climbed in before she could lock the doors. She told authorities that one raped her and the other forced her to perform oral sex, investigators said. The attack was witnessed by about 30 people, some of whom saw her try to resist, officials said. But nobody helped her, they added. A witness flagged down sheriff's deputies patrolling the area, and the crowd quickly dispersed, investigators said. The victim was taken to a University of Texas Medical Branch hospital for treatment. Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call the Galveston County Sheriff's Department at 409-766-2322. ------------------ Stay Cool...
Hydra: No offense, but are you saying that human beings cannot be trusted to have better judgement than bears? I HATE the argument that says "she should have known better, she had it coming." That's a load of garbage. If a woman enjoys flirting, or fooling around, or whatever... she doesn't automatically consent to be deprived of the freedom of hre body. If she changed her mind AT ANY POINT, she had every right to leave immediately. I want to believe that men can act using their brains and not what dangles between their legs. Do you really want to say men aren't fully accountable for their actions? If you don't, then you should take that statement back. It perpetuates sexual stereotyping and represses women. ------------------ Boston College - Big East -East Division Regular Season Champs Worst to First in 2001!
Let me split this up into two parts: "She should have known better." Hell yes she should have known better than to be flashing guys on a beach at midnight. No matter what happened after that, she showed very poor judgement. "She had it coming." Of course not. Her showing poor judgement does not entitle those guys to rape her. ------------------ Behad Sergeant at Arms of the Clutch BBS
-Behad There is a difference between "She had it coming" and "she deserved it." It doesn't take a genius to figure out you are going to get raped if you pull your top off and present yourself to a gang on a beach at midnight. There are too many other girls getting sexually abused or raped who did not incite crimes like this for me to show any sympathy here. ------------------ Nice guys finish last ... and im surely not going to finish last!
Man, I hope no women flash you. Geez. People do stupid things. This may have been her stupid thing. Just because she did something like flash a bunch of guys doesn't mean she deserved to be raped (if that actually happened). I don't give a flip how or why the circumstances, I can never understand this "she had it coming" belief. No one "deserves" to be raped. Any rape victim deserves sympathy. If she consented, that's one thing, but if not, then that's another. But no matter what, she deserves sympathy because no one deserves to be injured. It only shows male stupidity and the inability to restrain themselves. In other words, we're the animals we are so often portrayed as being by women. Women are wrong often for blatantly flirting (and going overboard with it), but that doesn't somehow excuse our stupid reactions to it. ------------------ "So you say you want some intelligent responses? I say give me something intelligent to respond to." -- Dimwits beware, B-Ball freak tells it like it is. Sing it bro!
I don't understand your reasoning. Those two statements sound the same to me. Please explain. ------------------ Behad Sergeant at Arms of the Clutch BBS
-DOD I never said it was ok what they did, and (if) they did rape her, they deserve to be punished. If everyone would take their part in being responsible, this world would be a much better place. And you are right, every unfortuate person person deserves sympathy, but if its over something that requires little common sense, you probably are not going to get much from me. We all do stupid things, including myself. When I do something stupid, I don't get upset at the other person if I know better. It would be like me watching you prodding and poking an alligator with a stick; when he bites your hand or foot off, i'll rush you to the hospital. I'll even let you bleed all over my brand new Lexus. But don't even b**** about what happened to you. -Behad "She had it coming" means its no surprise what happened. "She deserved it" means it was ok for them to rape her. And like I said, I do not think she deserved it. ------------------ Nice guys finish last ... and im surely not going to finish last!
