Weather Channel reporters have charges dropped
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?There was a meeting between the victim?s family, The Weather Channel crew and attorneys last night and it was decided that dismissing the charge was in the best interests of everyone involved,? said District Attorney General Dale Potter. ?There was a misunderstanding about what the storm team could and could not do that evening. That?s what it all boiled down to.?
The three members, Edward John Lazano Jr., Bradley Reynolds and Jorma Brandon Duran were charged with criminal trespassing in April by a member of the grieving Sherry Bruce family. Bruce was one of three people killed when a pair of tornadoes struck Warren County on April 7. Bruce was killed when what has been categorized as a F1 twister hit her trailer on Bonner Road, located in the Morrison area.
The victim?s family maintained The Weather Channel crew set up their remote broadcasting trailer on the property of the deceased and were taping an on-scene report. The victim?s family said the team was asked to leave repeatedly but refused, thereby prompting the brother-in-law of the tornado victim to take warrants against the three.
Crew members maintained they had permission to be there, granted by the sheriff. However, Sheriff Jackie Matheny said no such permission was, or even could have been, granted to the team since they were on private property.