Law & Crime report
Judge Bruce Schroeder has ejected liberal cable news organization MSNBC from the Kenosha County Courthouse for the remaining duration of the Kyle Rittenhouse homicide trial.
Schroeder said the court received a report from the Kenosha Police Department that an individual who indicated he was employed by MSNBC ran a red light while authorities think he may have been following a “sealed bus” containing the Rittenhouse jury. But NBC News said the authorities were mistaken as to the individual’s intent.
“I have instructed that no one from MSNBC news will be permitted in this building for the duration of this trial,” Schroeder said. “This is a very serious matter, and I don’t know what the ultimate truth of it is, but absolutely, it would go without much thinking that someone who is following a jury bus — that is a very — it’s an extremely serious matter — and will be referred to the proper authorities for further action.”
The individual ticketed, who Schroeder identified as James Morrison, said he was operating under the supervision of Irene Byon. Schroeder said Morrison identified Byon as an MSNBC manager in New York.
In a subsequent statement to Law&Crime, NBC News characterized the situation differently.
“Last night, a freelancer received a traffic citation,” an NBC News spokesperson said. “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. We regret the incident and will fully cooperate with the authorities on any investigation.”
The Kenosha Police Department issued yet another version of the events via twin tweets on Thursday afternoon.
“Last night a person who is alleging to be affiliated with a national media outlet was briefly taken into custody and issued several traffic related citations,” the first tweet read. “Police suspect this person was trying to photograph jurors. This incident is being investigated much further.”
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