Post by MJSUNIFC on Jul 25, 2004 14:38:52 GMT -5
Sneddon Under Pressure
Embattled Santa Barbara District Attorney, Thomas Sneddon, has interrupted his Alaskan vacation to defend himself against allegations that he abused his power during the ongoing investigation into alleged child abuse by pop superstar Michael Jackson.
The pressure stems from comments he reportedly made at a recent District Attorneys’ Association conference held in Vancouver. Veteran journalist for the Globe & Mail newspaper, Robert Matas, reported on Wednesday that Sneddon had made several remarks regarding the Jackson case during a panel discussion. Sneddon, and others involved with the case, is subject to a judicial gag order preventing him from speaking about it.
Sneddon is said to have told conference delegates how he had prevented certain people from speaking about Jackson’s trial by sending them letters notifying them they could be called as witnesses. He is also reported to have advised his audience to hire PR firms when dealing with high-profile cases.
Legal experts have expressed shock at the prosecutor’s alleged remarks saying that if the report was accurate, disciplinary action should be taken against him for abusing his power.
Interrupting his holiday to address the brewing legal storm, Sneddon telephoned an Associated Press reporter, claiming that he had been misquoted. He further denied speaking about Michael Jackson’s trial, saying his comments had been taken out of context.
But Matas, a journalist for more than 30 years, is adamant that his story is factual. Speaking to Santa Maria Times journalist Steve Corbett on Friday, he said: "It´s definitely accurate. My notes are accurate. I was sitting there and taking notes as he spoke."
He said Sneddon had been introduced as the prosecutor in the Jackson case and had related several anecdotes regarding the case during his appearance. Matas also spoke with Sneddon following the panel discussion.
"I went up and asked him what he was most surprised about," Matas said. "He said that he´s been accused of doing this in revenge."
"Prosecuting Jackson?" questioned Corbett.
"Yeah."
“So he actually answered your specific question about the Jackson case?" asked Corbett.
"Yeah," confirmed Matas.
Corbett also spoke to Susan Tellem, the PR consultant assisting the DA’s office, shortly before Sneddon’s denial hit the news wires.
"So what kind of flak are you getting on this Globe and Mail story?" he asked.
"I´m not sure that I can answer that question," she replied.
"Have you talked to Sneddon about the story and about what´s been attributed to him?"
"Briefly," confirmed Tellem.
"What did he say?"
"Mr. Sneddon was there for a conference and he was not talking about any case, he was talking about the process of working with media."
"So he´s denying that he spoke specifically about the Jackson case?"
"It was about public relations, media relations, it wasn´t about the case," she replied.
"Is he disputing (the newspaper account)?" questioned Corbett.
"I can´t answer that."
"Did he deny (saying what the article attributed to him)?"
"I can´t address that, either," she said. "There´s a gag order. Whatever Mr. Sneddon and I talk about is really between the two of us."
"Do you believe Sneddon violated the gag order?" I asked.
"Now, see, that´s something I can´t really address," she said.
"Did you talk to him about it in your conversation?"
"The conversation is really not relevant to our conversation," she said.
"Did he call you or did you call him?"
"That´s not relevant, either," said Tellem, who also mentioned that she did not have a contact number for Sneddon and was not able to reach him.
Attorneys for Jackson have not yet commented on Sneddon’s alleged remarks.
Source: SantaMariaTimes/MJJForum