Media Frenzy

By Rob Holbert Managing Editor

Two weeks of harassing and threatening e-mails directed at WPMI-TV and its employees culminated in the arrest June 15 of a man charged with making terrorist threats – a man who is the roommate of a Channel 15 reporter.

Local and federal agents executed a search warrant at 2360 Taylor Ave. in Midtown Mobile, June 15, and arrested Daniel R. Leonard, 38, in connection with the threatening e-mails. Reporter Richard Allyn also lives at the address, but no charges were made against Allyn. Leonard works at the Alabama School of Math and Science.

The arrest comes in the wake of a rash of threatening e-mails sent to WPMI TV-15 in the past couple of weeks that caused searches to be performed at the station and new security measures to be taken, including having constant security personnel on the premises, the use of metal detectors to screen people entering the Azalea Road office and bomb-sniffing dogs.

Leonard’s arrest may have answered some questions for WPMI employees and many others in the local media who were carbon copied on the e-mails. While authorities released few details, WPMI led its June 15 and June 16 broadcasts with the story, divulging such information as the security measures taken. In both stories, the station made a point of saying it would have no comment on Allyn’s status with WPMI, noting only that he was questioned by authorities and left the building Friday evening.

The messages began June 1 when someone using the address kissmygritssemmes@hotmail.com sent a message to reporter/anchor Varion Walton concerning the previous night’s segment of “Restaurant Scorecard,” in which local restaurant health issues are discussed. In this particular story, the issue of bathroom cleanliness was the topic, one that seemed to upset kissmygrits.

The writer managed to elicit responses from some NBC 15 employees, including new anchor Greg Peterson, in what can probably best be described as an “e-mail” war. When Peterson wrote back that he “would not want to go through life with that much hate built up inside of me,” kissmygrits exploded with e-mails that disparaged the station as a whole and heavily referenced the March firings of former anchors Peter Albrecht, Drexel Gilbert and Kim McCrea. This led Peterson to respond “As one of the wisest men whom I have ever met in the television business once told me… some viewers just have to be fired,” which seemed to anger the writer even more.

The e-mails from kissmygrits ended June 5 with an abrupt apology from the writer. But that same day, a person writing from the e-mail address wpimconcernedemployees@hotmail.com began sending more hostile and threatening messages to WPMI employees, other news media in town and Clear Channel corporate officials. The messages referred to General Manager Bob Franklin as “Dictator Bob Franklin” and taunted management. A second e-mail was much more threatening.

“You have a crazy man in your midst and you do not know who it is in this building at WPMI. I have nothing to lose anymore and people now should be afraid to come to work until the above demands are met. I have equipment in the building that I promise will make everyone scared to death. DICTATOR BOB FRANKLIN – you have caused me to finally to snap!!!!” the message read.

Over the course of several message, the writer said Franklin’s convertible car could be followed and also referenced the Virginia Tech shootings. The writer also managed to insult just about everyone on the WPMI staff and attempted to spread hurtful gossip about staffers.

According to WPMI insiders speaking on condition of anonymity, the string of e-mails from wpmiconcernedemployees@hotmail.com began after Franklin sent a memo out in reference to someone taking one of Peterson’s “Healthy Choice” frozen diners out of the freezer in the employee breakroom. In the first e-mail, the writer claimed to be offended by the memo and the atmosphere at the station.

When Leonard was paraded before television cameras after his arrest, Peterson was on the scene covering the story for WPMI. He asked loudly and repeatedly of Leonard, “Do you know how many people you hurt?” As he was getting in the police car, Leonard made a statement that appears to reference the first stream of e-mails from kissmygrits. Twice he seemed to say, “You shouldn’t have called me full of hate.”

Not the first time

This hostile e-mail barrage is not the first in the station’s history. Former and current WPMI employees have told Lagniappe of a series of e-mails that started in 2005 after former anchor McCrea was demoted to anchoring the 5 p.m. broadcast, and Gilbert was elevated to co-anchoring the 6 and 10 p.m. shows. Insiders say the e-mails at that time were hostile and directed at Gilbert. They believed those e-mails to be the work of someone employed by the station at the time, but could not verify it.

As in this case, the e-mails were all sent via Web-based mail, often from wireless Internet “hotspots.” Some of the messages were sent by someone accessing the wireless Internet at motels along the Beltline, according to those familiar with the situation, which could be accessed by someone in a vehicle using a laptop. At least one of the harassing messages in 2005 was sent at the University of Alabama library, according to insiders, and authorities were able to get a picture of someone bearing a resemblance to a WPMI employee in the library at the time the message was sent. That employee remains employed by the station.

According to insiders, there were again harassing messages last summer as well. At this time, there is no indication as to whether any of the incidents are related.

During the Mobile mayoral race in 2005, a stream of harassing e-mails directed at candidate John Peavy were traced to the Alabama School of Math and Science where Leonard was employed. Authorities could not say whether they are looking into any connections between those e-mails and those sent to WPMI. The charges against Leonard carry a maximum penalty of 10 years on prison.

Rob Holbert is Lagniappe managing editor. Contact him at rholbert@lagniappemobile.com.

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