Journalists accused of trespassing at Liberty University will not face criminal charges

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Lynchburg News & Advance

BREAKING

Journalists accused of trespassing at Liberty University will not face criminal charges

By Richard Chumney [e-mail] 3 hrs ago

Lynchburg prosecutors on Friday announced they will not pursue criminal charges against two journalists who Liberty University police accused of trespassing on campus while covering the school's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Lynchburg Commonwealth's Attorney Bethany Harrison said the journalists -- Alec MacGillis, a reporter for ProPublica; and Julia Rendleman, a freelance photographer for The New York Times -- violated the misdemeanor trespassing statute when they made unauthorized visits to campus in late March.

But Harrison's office decided not to pursue the case in court after consulting with Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. ... "There is certainly probable cause here to charge these two individuals based on their actions and the law of Virginia," Harrison said. "But we are electing not to proceed with the criminal prosecution given the input that we have from our victim."

Harrison said Falwell was "satisfied with having the reporters understand they have to respect the no trespassing signs."

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

Richard Chumney covers Liberty University for The News & Advance. Reach him at [phone].

Read more: https://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/journalists-accused-of-trespassing-at-liberty-university-will-not-face-criminal-charges/article_7355d708-c625-5029-9f81-bf2d27d9db4e.html

---

Hat tip, Joe.My.God.

https://www.joemygod.com/2020/05/falwell-loses-bid-to-prosecute-trespassing-journalists/

------

I just added the link to source. Duh.

[Newest Reality]

1. Yes...

Don't ever trespass on the cult compound because they may be doing the private and Holy Kool-Aid Ritual. That's one of the many reasons they are not open and welcoming

[Downtown Hound]

2. Fuck off Falwell.

[KWR65]

4. This is a code word for gay bashing.

[Downtown Hound]

7. I just see it as a normal insult, but in the interests of peace, I changed it.

[KWR65]

12. No Problem. I once posted something here offensive and deleted it. Have a good day.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. Translation: Falwell backed down after realizing the bad press he was garnering.

[lagomorph777]

8. Way too late.

Now journalists will be all over the story, trying to find out exactly what Fuckwell is hiding. Bribing students to blow the whistle, flying drones, digging into finances, who knows what all.

[SeattleVet]

10. If he were actually worried about bad press,

he would have gotten out if his current business a long time ago.

For them, bad press is a feature, not a bug.

[Grins]

11. Not to mention the legal fees he'd have to pay

...all to get what? A $100 judgment against the three journalists with an added, “Please don’t do that again”? Which they wouldn’t pay anyway and would appeal costing jr. even more $$$..?

What a despicable tight-assed weasel. Just like his old man. And his grandfather.

[mobeau69]

6. Why no trespassing signs on a college campus?

Private or not. You can walk around ND until your hearts content and all anyone, student or faculty, will say to you is “Go Irish”! ☘️

[mwooldri]

13. Depends on the university I guess.

With High Point University (HPU), the place is walled in and fenced in. You need an ID to get in that place - didn't like going there when I did Uber/Lyft as it was "guess which gate the passenger will be at" and not the actual street inside the compound (I refuse to call it a campus as that place seems to be designed to keep students inside). Other nearby universities aren't like that - especially NC A&T (go Aggies), which is very open. I've never been to Liberty "University" but if it's built up like HPU you'd have to be sneaky to get in.

[ArizonaLib]

9. 'Victim'?

"But we are electing not to proceed with the criminal prosecution given the input that we have from our VICTIM."???????????????

Sounds entirely ignorant