Monthly Archive for October, 2007

In a report that ran at 6pm tonight on WPLG, Rad Berky reported Jeff Weinsier was arrested while standing on the street, on a crosswalk. Something clearly visible on the raw video WPLG posted on their site

Also in the same video, after the first confrontation with police, Jeff Weinsier and photog Frank Debesa can be seen going across the street as asked. Jeff Weinsier is then seen calling WPLG and heard leaving voice mail for WPLG GM Bill Pohovey. One person standing on the sidewalk and another just walking by can also be seen in the video.

According to Rad Berky’s report Weinsier called the newsroom complaining about the treatment. Assignment Editor Sandy Antonio called Ed Torrens from Miami-Dade School Police who according to Antonio told her Weinsier “can walk up and down the sidewalk as long as he’s not interrupting pedestrian traffic”.

Sandy Antonio relayed that message back and that’s when you see Weinsier and photog Frank Debesa going back to where they were before.

Ed Torrens from Miami-Dade school police maintains Weinsier was trespassing and that he was “on the ground, on the grassy side” and that Weinsier should have gone across the street when told where “designated media are” and that “he did not comply” thus getting arrested.

Weinsier’s attorney is challenging the whole case. Photog Frank Debesa has met with a detective to file assault charges against the cop who pushed him.

Regarding the gun: Florida law allows someone to carry a concealed weapon near a school with permit, which Weinsier has. However, Post-Newsweek which owns WPLG has a policy of allowing staff to carry weapons but only with permission from the company. Weinsier had no permission from Post-Newsweek to carry a weapon.