A possible plot to harass or follow jurors in Kyle Rittenhouse’s murder trial, James G. Morrison, NBC/MSNBC producer, was stopped Wednesday evening by Kenosha Police after he drove through a stoplight and chased down the jury bus leaving the courthouse. This led to Judge Bruce Schroeder banning MSNBC’s access to the courthouse during the remaining portion of the trial.
“Last evening, a person who identified himself as James J. Morrison, and who claimed that he was a producing with NBC News and played for MSNBC, and under the supervision of a person … named Irene Byon in New York for MSNBC,” Judge Schroeder recounted from the bench Thursday afternoon.
Police claim that Morrison gave this information to them after being caught. “The police, when they stopped him because he was following at about a distance of a block, went through a red light, pulled him over and inquired of him what was going on, and he gave that information and stated that he had been instructed by Ms. Byon in New York to follow the jury bus,” Schroeder explained.
The Judge then said it was an “extremely serious matter” and that he would be banning MSNBC from the premises and would be “referred to the proper authorities for further action”:
At this moment, the matter is still under investigation. It has been raised with the media. This is the most recent I know. The ticket he received was for violating the traffic control signal. According to what I understand, he is not present today. I instructed MSNBC News that nobody from the network will be allowed in this building during this trial. This is a very serious matter and I don’t know what the ultimate truth is, but absolutely it would go without much thinking that someone who’s following the jury bus, that is a very – that’s extremely serious matter and it will be referred to the proper authorities for further action.
NBC responded by admitting the incident did occur, while trying to minimize their involvement.
Yesterday night, a freelancer was given a traffic ticket. The traffic violation was committed near the jury van. However, the freelancer didn’t contact, or even intend to, jurors at deliberations. They were also not photographed. We are sorry for the accident and we will cooperate fully with any authorities in their investigation.
Notice that after their initial admission that Morrison (who they didn’t name) was ticketed, they suggested he was merely “near the jury van” and that he “never contacted or intended to contact the jurors during deliberations.”
“[Judge Schroeder] responded to a report that we got from the Kenosha Police Department last night saying that a member of the media was suspected of following the jury van after court yesterday,” reported correspondent Shaquille Brewster on MSNBC’s MTP DailyThe hour ends at 1:05 p.m.
Adding: “The judge named a member from MSNBC, he said he’s taking this extremely seriously. The judge continued to state that he’s investigating further. And we also know that he’s banning members from MSNBC, any MSNBC personnel from the courthouse at this time.”
It happened on the exact same night. NBC Nightly News edited out Schroeder’s scathing rebuke of the media’s “grossly irresponsible handling of what comes out of this trial.” It was also reminiscent of when MSNBC ambushedRobert Mueller (then-Special Counsel) outside his church, Easter Sunday.
You can click on “expand to view the transcripts” below.
Fox News Channel’s Outnumbered
November 18th, 2021
Eastern 12:26.19(…)
JUDGE Bruce SCHROEDER: Last evening – and let me just set the background here. The jury in this case is being transported from a different location in a bus with windows covered so that they don’t have to look at – aren’t exposed to any signs by one side or the other, or interest in the case. This is why I call it a sealed vehicle. That’s done daily, then the bus is brought to this place.
Last evening, a person who identified himself as James J. Morrison, and who claimed that he was a producing with NBC News and played for MSNBC, and under the supervision of a person – what’s going on?
[Inaudible]
Oh, okay. Irene Byon was in New York as MSNBC’s supervisor. After he followed the police for a short distance, they pulled him aside at a red stoplight and demanded his explanation. He said that he had received instructions from Ms. Byon to follow her jury bus.
At this moment, the matter is still under investigation. It has been raised with the media. This is the most recent I know. The ticket he received was for violating the traffic control signal. According to what I understand, he is not present today. I instructed MSNBC News that nobody from the network will be allowed in the building during this trial. This is a very serious matter and I don’t know what the ultimate truth is, but absolutely it would go without much thinking that someone who’s following the jury bus, that is a very – that’s extremely serious matter and it will be referred to the proper authorities for further action.
Many thanks.
(…)
MSNBC’s MTP Daily
November 18th, 2021
Eastern, 1:58:38(…)
SHAQUILLE BREWSTER – We saw the judge come earlier to the bench or take the stand for an unrelated issue. The judge was not present at the scene. According to the Kenosha Police Department, he said that the suspect was following the jury van yesterday after the court.
He named MSNBC’s member as the judge and said that he takes this very seriously. The judge said that he was investigating the matter further. We also know that he is banning MSNBC employees and any MSNBC staff from the courthouse.
A spokesperson for NBC has now released a statement. Let’s see it on the screen. It says, “Last night, a freelancer received a traffic citation. Although the violation occurred near the jury van’s vehicle, it was not a traffic offense. The freelancer did not contact or intend to contact jurors in deliberations and neither photographed them nor intended to. We regret the incident and will fully cooperate with authorities on any investigation.”
(…)
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