WJTV
APR 3 2008 10:00PM CT Captioned
[**10:01:32 PM**] SOME STUNNED MENDENHALL RESIDENTS CAN'T BELIEVE THEIR POLICE CHIEF HAS WALKED AWAY FROM HIS SECOND FROM HIS SECOND TRIAL FOR SEX CRIMES, WITHOUT BEING CONVICTED. CHIEF JAMES SULLIVAN IS NOT COMMENTING ABOUT TODAY'S MISTRIAL, BUT MANY IN HIS COMMUNITY HAVE A LOT TO SAY INCLUDING PROSECUTORS. THIS IS THEIR SECOND HUNG JURY IN THEIR CASE AGAINST THE CHIEF, AND IT WON'T BE THE LAST. THEY PLAN TO RETRY HIM IN SEPTEMBER. NEWS CHANNEL NEWS CHANNEL NEWS CHANNEL 12 WAS THERE THIS AFTERNOON AS SULLIVAN LEFT THE COURTHOUSE. 11 JURORS VOTED TO CONVICT, ONLY ONE HELD OUT. SULLIVAN'S ACCUSED OF HAVING SEX WITH A 14 YEAR OLD GIRL. SHE TESTIFIED IT HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN HIS POLICE CAR. PROSECUTORS PRESENTED PHONE RECORDS AND RECORDED PHONE CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN SULLIVAN AND THE TEEN, BUT SULLIVAN WORKED TO DISCREDIT HER REPUTATION, SAYI NG HE WAS JUST TRYING TO "BEFRIEND A TROUBLED GIRL. PROSECUTORS DID NOT PRESENT ANY PHYSICAL EVIDENCE. ONE MENDENHALL OFFICER WE TALKED WITH IS DISAPPOINTED WITH THE OUTCOME. IT'S AN INTERVIEW YOU SEE ONLY ON NEWS CHANNEL 12. RUNS: 0:06 "IT'S BEEN A CLOUD HANGING OVER THE DEPARTMENT AND ME HAVE WONDERFUL OFFICERS AND JUST WANT TO GET ON WITH OUR LIVES. NEWS CHANNEL 12'S EMILY WOOD WAS THERE FOR THE VERDICT, AND HAS REACTION FROM OTHER RESIDENTS IN THIS TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY. MISTRIAL IS OUR BIG STORY TONIGHT AT TEN. RUNS: X: XX OUTCUE: STANDARD 11:20 I BELIEVE HE DID IT, KNOW HE DID IT. PHONE CALLS, PHONE RECORDS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. MANY IN THE SMALL TOWN OF MENDENHALL SAY THEY'RE SURPRISED AT LEAST ONE PERSON ON THE JURY DID NOT SEE E PROSECUTION'S EVIDENCE AS A ENOUGH TO CONVICT. 00:52 THAT HE DID IT NO DOUBT. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WILLING OR NOT. PEOPLE WHO SAT THROUGH THE TRIAL SAY TO THEM CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN SULLIVAN AND THE YOUNG GIRL WERE CONDEMNING. SULLIVAN TESTIMONY ABOUT PREGNANCY THEY SAY THINGS WERE ONLY FURTHER CONFIRMED WITH THE CHIEF TOOK THE STAND TO TRY AND DEFEND SOME OF THOSE LATE NIGHT CALLS. 11:27 HE GOT ON THE STAND YESTERDAY AND HUNG HIMSELF WITH ALL THIS STUFF HE WAS SAYING AND THE DEFENSE CAME BACK AND I DON'T SEE WHY ITS A HUNG TRIAL. BUT THE CHIEF PREGNANCY THEY S THINGS WERE ONLY FURTHER CONFIRMED WITH THE CHIEF TOOK THE STAND TO TRY AND DEFEND SOME OF THOSE LATE NIGHT CALLS. 11:27 HE GOT ON THE STAND YESTERDAY AND HUNG HIMSELF WITH ALL THIS STUFF HE WAS SAYING AND THE DEFENSE CAME BACK AND I DON'T SEE WHY ITS A HUNG TRIAL. BUT THE CHIEF MAINTAINS HE IS TELLING THE TRUTH AND AT LEAST ONE JUROR SEEMS TO AGREE. IN MENDENHALL, EMILY WOOD WJTV NC12. SULLIVAN IS STILL THE CHIEF OF THE MENDENHALL POLICE DEPARTMENT. HE WILL REMAIN ON LEAVE WITH PAY THROUGH HIS NEXT TRIAL,
No comments:
Post a Comment