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Friday September 9, 2005
DeFede absolved
Shocker! The State attorney has decided not to prosecute Jim DeFede for taping his conversation with Arthur Teele.
There are compelling reasons for the state to exercise its discretion and decline to prosecute Mr. DeFede on a criminal charge. There appears to have been no malicious intent on the part of DeFede to violate the privacy rights of Mr. Teele or to utilize the tape for any commercial purpose or to harm or embarrass Mr. Teele.
For extra credit we can compare the Herald’s with the Sun-Sentinel’s. The Herald makes sure to offer us the following additional quote:
However, it would be incorrect for anyone to assume from this result that Mr. DeFede’s actions, in tape recording a conversation without consent, were appropriate or justified. They were not.
DeFede will be holding a press confrence, which should be aired on 5 pm local news.
Update: The Tallahassee Democrat has the best post-press confrence write-up:
“I’ve always felt that my actions, when viewed in their full context, would be understood,” [DeFede] said at a Friday afternoon press conference in the office of his Miami lawyer. “The state attorney’s office took the time, and now they’ve issued a report saying they clearly understood what I did. Now it’s up to The Miami Herald to see what kind of institution they are.”
The Herald came out with an expanded version of their story later in the day.
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Mr. DeFede, who is unemployed, said he was satisfied with the investigation and could not understand The Herald’s refusal to rehire him. “This report undermines every reason The Herald used for firing me,” he said. “Now we know the truth.”—The New York Times
Another quote the Herald omitted.
But what’s the point?
As far as the Miami Hurled is concerned,
Jim DeFede, once the toast of the town,
is now just toast.
Remember that Miami is a very small town
with one Establishment,
in which the Hurled and Knight Ridder
are big time players.
DeFede was a ticking bomb who, given time,
might expose some backroom buddies
which all things considered,
the Hurled would prefer to keep covered:
advertisers, power brokers, clouts, good ole boys, etc.
who dine at the same trough
and understand that favors are traded among select friends.
He’d already been politically obnoxious
to Tony Ridder and his own parent company.
Remember the paper’s mission: “To Make Profits,”
not produce fine writing or first-rate journalism.
Does bringing back DeFede sell one more paper,
make one more dollar?
Best of luck to you Jimmy.
Don’t let the palm tree swat your ass
on the way
outta town.