Fox News Reporter May Have Compromised Aurora Shooting Prosecution

Well, well, well…it appears that Fox News’ Jana Winters is now a person of interest in the trial for Aurora shooter James Holmes. Seems that back in July, Winters wrote an article for FoxNews.com on the shooting that contained some pretty confidential information about a notebook Holmes sent a University of Colorado psychiatrist. Holmes’ lawyers are not amused; neither is the judge presiding over the case, who approved efforts to subpoena her for both her sources, as well as all her notes for the piece. As of this point, Fox News has yet to release a statement regarding their stance, or how they plan to handle the conditions that allowed such a leak.

The Denver Post reports:

"Identifying the law enforcement sources who leaked this information to the media is an issue of serious and material importance to the case," Holmes' attorneys wrote this week in a motion seeking a judge's order compelling Winter's appearance.

The Post links to Holmes' motion which states that Winters published information which has "seriously jeopardized" Holmes' right to a fair trial.

Fox's eagerness to malign the University of Colorado as somehow negligent in the case may have backfired and tarnished their own selves.

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Showing 17 reactions

Joshua Hatheway commented 2013-01-23 11:17:56 -0500 · Flag

Thirdly, when this story first came out, many news outlets were asking questions about how long that piece of mail sat unopened, not just Fox News. That’s what journalists do… Ask questions. Yes, having unopened mail for so long does look irresponsible, but does that mean questions shouldn’t be asked?

Joshua Hatheway commented 2013-01-23 10:52:09 -0500 · Flag

Secondly, the gag order was allegedly violated by police (depending on when the information was divulged in comparison to the gag order), not by winters. Now if the information was divulged by police “off the record” and still used by Winters then she would be somewhat culpable, but it also remains that the divulging of “gagged” information to a reporter is still irresponsible.

Joshua Hatheway commented 2013-01-23 10:25:08 -0500 · Flag

I will bet that Holmes still gets at least life imprisonment no matter what happens. Holmes’ lawyers can grasp at straws all they want to slow things down, but the end result will likely remain the same. The outcome of the trial, or retrial, will depend on how well Holmes’ lawyers argue about his mental faculties while committing the crime not if information was leaked.

Aria Prescott commented 2013-01-21 03:06:28 -0500 · Flag

Winters, not Lee- Bleh!

My mind gets so fuzzy-like when I’m sick.

Aria Prescott commented 2013-01-21 03:04:07 -0500 · Flag

Ellen called exactly what I was thinking- If Holmes’ trial is compromised enough to lessen his his punishment, Fox News will be screaming for blood.

And they’ll conveniently forget that it was because one of their reporters violated the gag order, and they ran with it. If you think Lee was the only one who talked about the leaked info, here’s your bridge, because I remember Kelly and Van Susteren talking about it on the air.

But first to report is always numero uno on the suspect list. And (unfortunately) the only one to be punished, in most cases.

Antoinette commented 2013-01-21 01:22:32 -0500 · Flag

The Fox “News” frauds’ mission in life is to get the exclusive story by any means necessary.

We doubt this Fox “News” broad will name her sources. She will face jail time rather reveal her sources.

Ellen commented 2013-01-21 00:58:02 -0500 · Flag

M M, it’s a tough call as to whether the reporter should give up her source(s). But what she did wrong, IMO, was to report the confidential information in the first place.

Fox would be the first and loudest ones to scream if Holmes’ punishment were to be lessened in any way because of a “technicality.” If they want to call for blood (and they surely will), they shouldn’t let their desire to tarnish a university get in the way.

M M commented 2013-01-20 19:21:45 -0500 · Flag

Being neither a lawyer nor a journalist, and not knowing all the facts of the case, I’m a bit inclined to give Jana and Fox the benefit of the doubt on this one. I think (not sure, though) that the gag order applied just to law enforcement, not the media. However, Jana’s in a tough spot b/c she has to decide whether to protect her sources (who may have committed perjury) or reveal them.

Aria Prescott commented 2013-01-20 18:40:50 -0500 · Flag

You can tarnish bullshit???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiJ9fy1qSFI

Unfortunately, only Fox News has the secret to doing it with words.

the Mike commented 2013-01-20 15:03:43 -0500 · Flag

fox news doesn’t care what they do, even if it includes getting people murdered in church. fox and their cohorts, will keep doing what they do, without repercussion until they start getting put in prison where most of them belong.

Brian Hicks commented 2013-01-20 13:50:09 -0500 · Flag

“Fox’s eagerness to malign the University of Colorado as somehow negligent in the case may have backfired and tarnished their own selves.”

You can tarnish bullshit???

Ray Michaels commented 2013-01-20 13:45:23 -0500 · Flag

GATHERING DIRT BY ILLEGAL MEANS? NOW WHERE DID WE HEAR THIS BEFORE ABOUT A FOXY? OH YES, LONDON WIRE TAPS CASE!

sandman1 commented 2013-01-20 12:22:30 -0500 · Flag

According to Fox’ methods of journalism, what did Ailes know and when did he know it. The american people have a right to answers about this tragedy.

Visitor 55 commented 2013-01-20 11:35:48 -0500 · Flag

@truman. Either that, or they’ll claim that the reporter was a lowly contractor and wasn’t representing FoxGOPTV.

John Wallach commented 2013-01-20 11:35:10 -0500 · Flag

Sorry about the misspelled “reined”.

truman commented 2013-01-20 11:29:57 -0500 · Flag

If a real news network had jeopardized this criminal prosecution, Fux Noise (particularly Bildo) would bray on for weeks about how irresponsible it was. But since it one of their own in this case, Fux will try to wrap itself in the First Amendment.

John Wallach commented 2013-01-20 11:09:11 -0500 · Flag

This is a mere foretaste of the harm Fox will eventually do before it’s reigned in by law.