Councilor Turner Press Release 11/27/08

The Chuck Turner Campaign for Truth and Light
51 Roxbury Street
Roxbury, MA
617-427-8100

Press Statement: 11/27/08

Councilor Chuck Turner Continues To Focus on the Boston Media’s Attempt to Find Him Guilty in the Court of Public Opinion Before He Has Been Tried By a Jury of His Peers

Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner released today the following statement on the continuing attempt by Boston media to find him guilty in the court of public opinion.

On Monday, November 24, I declared that since I was being tried in the media, I was going to act as my own lawyer and not allow the media to destroy a reputation for integrity that I have built over the last forty five years of advocacy and defense of the right of all people for fair treatment.

On Tuesday, November 25, Jim Braude, NECN commentator asked my lawyer, Barry P. Wilson,  why I am saying that the media is trying me when they have a responsibility to report the news and that my arrest is news.

I responded to his question at my press conference on Wednesday with the following statement:

“Before I call this press conference to an end, let me answer a question that a fellow fourth estate member, Jim Braude, raised on his show last night with Barry P. Wilson, coordinator of my legal team.  Let me paraphrase Mr. Braude’s question, ‘Your client, Chuck Turner, whom I’ve known for a number of years, has accused the media of trying him before he has had the opportunity of a trial before a jury of his peers. As reporters, isn’t it our responsibility to report on the US Attorney’s case against him.’

Yes, you’re right, Jim. The reporters in the press, radio, TV do have a responsibility to report the news whatever it is. When I said I the media was acting as my judge and jury, I was not referring to the reporters who are doing their job of reporting. I was referring to the columnists and commentators, many of whom have already publicly found me guilty. Jim, read the columns, listen to the commentators, and then answer the question of whether you think they are allowing me to be presumed innocent until found guilty.”

I went on to point out that another example of how the media was manipulating the news around my case was the fact that there was almost no coverage of Globe columnist Adrian Walker’s interview of Ron Wilburn, Dejavu partner, where Mr. Wilburn accused the US Attorney’s office of lying in the complaint against Senator Wilkerson.

Mr. Braude on his show that evening acknowledged that I was right that many of the columnists and commentators are declaring that I am guilty. However, he went on to say essentially that I had brought it on by myself by taking the $1000. At that moment I wanted to say to him, Jim, you acknowledge that others are finding me guilty before a trial and then do exactly the same thing.

Similarly, he acknowledged that reporters do have a responsibility to ask the US Attorney about Mr. Ron Wilburn’s charge that the US Attorney office had lied in its complaint against Senator Dianne Wilkerson. He then said again that I was partially responsible since I had participated in zipper gate.  At that moment I wanted to say to Jim, “I am shocked and disappointed that some one I had respected would excuse the media not doing its job by saying that I caused it by forgetting to zip my fly on Monday morning when I was rushing to get to City Hall at 4:30 in the morning to avoid the media trucks from Fox 25 that had just driven up.  Jim, based on your history as a former activist, I would have expected more”.

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