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BALCO: Ellerman blames alcohol...and journalists' constant "hounding" for leaks

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by rokski2, Jun 7, 2007.

  1. rokski2

    rokski2 New Member

    http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_6076792

    According to court documents filed by prosecutors Wednesday, Troy Ellerman's (former counsel to BALCO vice president James Valente) reasons for leaking confidential grand jury testimony to San Francisco Chronicle reporter Mark Fainaru-Wada were alcohol, drugs, depression, and journalists' constant "hounding."


    From the article:

    "In the filing, prosecutors asked a federal judge to sentence Ellerman to two years in prison for leaking confidential grand jury testimony to the reporter ..."

    - - -

    Here we go again.


    1. a) How much "hounding" did MFW(+) engage in? b) Is Ellerman going to ellaborate on this? c) Is there any shared ethical responsibility to MFW's actions in the breaking of the law which Ellerman engaged in, if MFW was actively "hounding" Ellerman for the transcripts? d) Or was MFW merely a pawn in Ellerman's game to try to get the charges against his one-time client Valente dismissed? e) For other journalists, which is preferable for the profession's image, an 'actively participating' MFW in question c) or a 'passively participating' MFW in question d)?

    2. To this point in time, no legal action has been enjoined against Barry Bonds pursuant to his alleged grand jury testimony (e.g.: tax evasion, perjury). Nor has MLB been able to take action against Bonds either due to the publication of the material published from Bonds' illegally leaked grand jury testimony or as a result of the ongoing Mitchell investigation into MLB's PED past. Given this result: a) are you as satisfied now with MFW's, LW's and the SF Chon's aiding and abetting the illegal leaking of grand jury testimony and their publication of said illegally leaked grand jury testimony as you were when MFW and LW were cheered and feted outside of a SF courtroom by fellow journalists? b) Has the heretofore 'end' [i.e., no prosecutions against Bonds] (further) diminished the 'means' by which this information came to light, and how does the 'public's right to know' now stack-up against the legal protections granted to grand jury testimony? And c) does the profit motive which was present for MFW, LW and the Chon. even further diminish the ethical basis of the 'means' employed in this journalistic instance, particularly in light of the current paucity of recriminations visited upon Bonds?

    Remember, unlike, say, The Starr Report or The 9/11 Commission Report - other 'public right to know' publications - Game of Shadows was (and is) a for-profit venture.
     
  2. Tom Petty

    Tom Petty Guest

    Re: BALCO: T. Ellerman blames alcohol, drugs, depression, journalists' "hounding"

    you post you to delete. i read you and want to forget.

    glad we're working for a common goal.
     
  3. rokski2

    rokski2 New Member

    I'm glad you posted, because it allowed me to delete after having reworked the first post.
     
  4. rokski2

    rokski2 New Member

    Re: BALCO: Ellerman blames alcohol...and journalists' constant "hounding" for le

    Dan Patrick and Keith Olberman were just talking about something relating to the lack of anything having 'stuck' to Bonds legally and/or punishment from MLB, but I missed most of the segment so I'm not sure if they were discussing it relative to the news about Ellerman's statements provided to the judge in the sentencing hearing. It may have just been around the whole "Is Giambi going to help Mitchell" thing.
     
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