WRAL at Chatham Sherriff's office

[djkelly]

CHF - did you miss the actual headline -Possible threats against Chatham officials investigated?

The original headline was "Chatham officials threatened over immigration stance".

I sent emails to the reporter and the general manager as soon as I saw it.  Apparently I was not the only one since they changed it the next morning.

Ms. Kelly,

Thank you for contacting WRAL and sharing your concerns.  While some
Chatham County commissioners consider the language in several emails and
calls to be threatening, the sheriff's department does not believe that
language constitutes a threat, as defined in the state's criminal
statutes.  We should have been more clear about that distinction.
Please know that our intent is always to inform ... never to inflame.

Rick Gall
News Director
WRAL News



-----Original Message-----
From: Donna Kelly
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 2:09 AM
To: Harris, John
Cc: FCC Public File Information; FCC Public File Information
Subject: WRAL.com Feedback - Chatham officials threatened over
immigration stance

I'm concerned about how a report by Erin Hartness on the situation in
Chatham County was portrayed.  The title states that officials were
threatened.  The lead in on the video also stresses that threats were
made.

Yet in the report Maj. Blankenship states there have been no actual
threats made.

"We are monitoring some incidents with the commissioners," said Maj.
Gary Blankenship of the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. "So far, none
that we have seen constitutes a threat, so we are just staying apprised
of the situation."

You also sensationalize an email to Commissioner Lucier:
After the decision in Chatham County, commissioners Chairman George
Lucier started getting e-mails with messages like "Sleep soundly while
you can!"

I stopped the video so I could read that email and although I can't read
the entire message, from what I can read the message seems more likely
to be suggesting that the commissioners are in danger from illegal
criminals that will be coming to the county in response to this
resolution than that the message writer is threatening the commissioner.

If that is the case it's an unjustified over-reaction but not a threat.

This is a very emotional issue.  The Resolution and more importantly the
way it was handled has caused a lot of strain in our community.  We do
not need inflamatory reporting to stir up emotions even more.

Please be more considerate of the people that live in this community if
you do any more reporting on this issue.       
       

[chrstnhsbndfthr]

You are absolutely correct, DJ, that IS what the headline read when I went there. It was dishonest to say the least, especially with the statement from the Local Major, a ranking law enforcement official denying actual threats were made.  The headline said one thing and the article said another. 

CHF - did you miss the actual headline -Possible threats against Chatham officials investigated?

The original headline was "Chatham officials threatened over immigration stance".

I sent emails to the reporter and the general manager as soon as I saw it.  Apparently I was not the only one since they changed it the next morning.

Ms. Kelly,

Thank you for contacting WRAL and sharing your concerns.  While some
Chatham County commissioners consider the language in several emails and
calls to be threatening, the sheriff's department does not believe that
language constitutes a threat, as defined in the state's criminal
statutes.  We should have been more clear about that distinction.
Please know that our intent is always to inform ... never to inflame.

Rick Gall
News Director
WRAL News



-----Original Message-----
From: Donna Kelly
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 2:09 AM
To: Harris, John
Cc: FCC Public File Information; FCC Public File Information
Subject: WRAL.com Feedback - Chatham officials threatened over
immigration stance

I'm concerned about how a report by Erin Hartness on the situation in
Chatham County was portrayed.  The title states that officials were
threatened.  The lead in on the video also stresses that threats were
made.

Yet in the report Maj. Blankenship states there have been no actual
threats made.

"We are monitoring some incidents with the commissioners," said Maj.
Gary Blankenship of the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. "So far, none
that we have seen constitutes a threat, so we are just staying apprised
of the situation."

You also sensationalize an email to Commissioner Lucier:
After the decision in Chatham County, commissioners Chairman George
Lucier started getting e-mails with messages like "Sleep soundly while
you can!"

I stopped the video so I could read that email and although I can't read
the entire message, from what I can read the message seems more likely
to be suggesting that the commissioners are in danger from illegal
criminals that will be coming to the county in response to this
resolution than that the message writer is threatening the commissioner.

If that is the case it's an unjustified over-reaction but not a threat.

This is a very emotional issue.  The Resolution and more importantly the
way it was handled has caused a lot of strain in our community.  We do
not need inflamatory reporting to stir up emotions even more.

Please be more considerate of the people that live in this community if
you do any more reporting on this issue.       
       

[Gene Galin]

You also sensationalize an email to Commissioner Lucier: After the decision in Chatham County, commissioners Chairman George Lucier started getting e-mails with messages like "Sleep soundly while you can!"

I stopped the video so I could read that email and although I can't read the entire message, from what I can read the message seems more likely to be suggesting that the commissioners are in danger from illegal criminals that will be coming to the county in response to this resolution than that the message writer is threatening the commissioner.

If that is the case it's an unjustified over-reaction but not a threat.       

I did a screen capture of the email from the WRAL-TV video story. You can view it and decide for yourself.

[chrstnhsbndfthr]

Obviously Chatham County Sheriff's Major Blankenship knew what he was talking about.  Thank you Gene for posting the corroborating evidence to support his statement that there were no threats.

[randy]

That's the threat, who called WRAL to the Sheriff's station over this?  This smells like political sensationalism.  Anyone know who actually called WRAL?

[NC YIPPIE]

Well, it looks like from what you've posted that I was right in my guess that the emails in question do not appear to have the specific language which constitutes a threat, as defined in the state's criminal statutes. That still doesn't mean that they were therefore not considered to be of a threatening nature to those that got them, and I believe the reporter calls them 'perceived threats' in the story. As to your point Randy, the clip only shows a piece of one email and the report says there was more than one email sent as well as at least one phone call. What else did they say? We simply don't know at this point, so no, not all the info has been made public. I'm not saying that the other emails contain a specific legal threat in them, but again, that some may feel that their message is somewhat threatening. Is it really an overreaction to ask the police to simply investigate potential threats regarding what even detractors call 'a very emotional issue'?

[Stargazer]

Thank you Gene and djkelly for shedding real light on this situation.
It seems obvious this was a county manager or BOC "cry wolf" situation.

I appreciate that WRAL was not robot-like in its defense.

[randy]

Well, it looks like from what you've posted that I was right in my guess that the emails in question do not appear to have the specific language which constitutes a threat, as defined in the state's criminal statutes. That still doesn't mean that they were therefore not considered to be of a threatening nature to those that got them, and I believe the reporter calls them 'perceived threats' in the story. As to your point Randy, the clip only shows a piece of one email and the report says there was more than one email sent as well as at least one phone call. What else did they say? We simply don't know at this point, so no, not all the info has been made public. I'm not saying that the other emails contain a specific legal threat in them, but again, that some may feel that their message is somewhat threatening. Is it really an overreaction to ask the police to simply investigate potential threats regarding what even detractors call 'a very emotional issue'?

I agree, they should be investigated, never argued that point, I want to know who exactly called in the media and WRAL.  Like I said, I smell political sensationalism, to make it appear that us that our against the resolutoin is causing all this commotion.  The only one who caused all the emotion is the Commissioners and their HR dt

[NC YIPPIE]

§ 14‑277.1.  Communicating threats.

(a)       A person is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor if without lawful authority:

(1)       He willfully threatens to physically injure the person or that person's child, sibling, spouse, or dependent or willfully threatens to damage the property of another;

(2)       The threat is communicated to the other person, orally, in writing, or by any other means;

(3)       The threat is made in a manner and under circumstances which would cause a reasonable person to believe that the threat is likely to be carried out; and

(4)       The person threatened believes that the threat will be carried out.

(b)       A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

[fools gold]

Unfortunately, our country has a sordid history of violence and it seems unreasonable to question their motives. You do not walk in their shoes...Are you aware that a large number of citizens in Chatham County have a permit to carry a concealed weapon? Check the list sometime before you lightly dismiss "threats".

[randy]

Unfortunately, our country has a sordid history of violence and it seems unreasonable to question their motives. You do not walk in their shoes...Are you aware that a large number of citizens in Chatham County have a permit to carry a concealed weapon? Check the list sometime before you lightly dismiss "threats".

Good grief, it was ploitical sensatoinalism, get over it

[djkelly]

Or just WRAL sensationalizing the headline and lead-in to get viewers when their story did not support them.  The close up on the final line in that e-mail was the same thing.  That's why I called them on it.

[fools gold]

DJKelly,
Thank you for contacting the media to hold the 4th Estate accountable. I hope you will continue your diligence on other issues in the media as well.

[integrityticket]

DJKelly,
Thank you for contacting the media to hold the 4th Estate accountable. I hope you will continue your diligence on other issues in the media as well.

Sounds like Randolph is getting ready to ask you out to lunch to openly discuss the problems with the 4th Estate.

[djkelly]

DJKelly,
Thank you for contacting the media to hold the 4th Estate accountable. I hope you will continue your diligence on other issues in the media as well.

It's not the first time I've contacted them when I felt something they reported was out of line.

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