Courtesy of JFXonline.com Oct. 2009
Tabloids and unofficial Britney Spears fan Web sites swelled over the weekend with reports of Adnan Ghalib pleading no contest “regarding” hit and run charges.
A press release issued by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office states he plead no contest to leaving the scene of an accident, not hit and run as charged by the prosecution in February.
Meanwhile, when Richard Winton of the Los Angeles Times reported the update, he not only made it seem that he spoke to Jane Robison, news secretary of the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, but omitted a key word from the press release where he allegedly got his information.
“They must have got that from the press release and added my name,” says Robison.
The news release was issued by the district attorney’s office on Oct. 9 to announce that in exchange for Ghalib pleading no contest to leaving the scene of an accident, two other felony charges would be dropped. It also says that Ghalib allegedly drove his car toward the victim and then drove away.
Winton did not return messages left throughout last week asking for a journalistic explanation as to why the story he wrote makes it seem that he talked to Robison and why he dropped the word “allegedly” from the District Attorney’s official statement.
Meanwhile, the Associated Press avoided all use of the word “alleged” leaving readers to cipher between what prosecutors allege and what they claim as fact.
“Prosecutors say the victim was trying to serve Ghalib a temporary restraining order obtained by Spears’father at Ghalib’s Encino apartment complex last February when Ghalib drove his car toward the process server. The man jumped on the car’s hood and then fell off, breaking his wrist and sustaining other injuries. Ghalib then drove away,” says the AP.
Is this a statement of fact? Did the man jump on the hood of a car, fall off and break his wrist?
Perhaps the AP was trying to combine news of Ghalib’s plea of no contest to an earlier press release by the district attorney’s office.
“To avoid being penned against a trash truck, the victim allegedly jumped on the hood of Ghalib’s Mercedes and hung on as the defendant swerved the car. The victim later fell off, breaking his wrist and sustaining other injuries. The defendant allegedly drove away without stopping,” says the press release issued by the district attorney’s office Feb. 24, 2009.
Lou Ferrara, the AP’s vice president and managing editor for sports, entertainment, lifestyles and multimedia says, “You (Fair News Spears) may be at a disadvantage when attempting to cover the case because you are not in the courtroom, or dealing with sources on the ground outside and inside the courthouse,” in response to other alleged misinformation on Ghalib and on the conservatorship of Britney Spears.
Questions? Leads? Don’t want to comment? Please feel free to contact the alleged author of this post at carmelakelly@gmail.com
So how much trouble is Adnan in? What is it that he actually did?
Thanks for the detail, and for working hard to get accurate information.
How can we know what he actually did without a trial and getting to look at the evidence or hear testimony from all sides?
We may get more of a glimpse as Moskowitz’s civil complaint over the alleged incident begins to unfold again in November. The current ‘leaving the scene of an accident’plea bargain may not be used against Ghalib in that case.
I would imagine if Moskowitz had had serious medical expenses the press might have said something for the sensationalism?
We do have “a” figure of around $1,000 from documents submitted in the probate case when Jamie Spears’lawyers wanted reimbursement from the defendants (Eardley, Lutfi, Ghalib) for attorneys’fees. Chameleon Strategic, Moskowitz’s employer at the time, had submitted fees for damages. It was unclear what the damages were for. I believe off hand it cost $9,000 or $10,000 to serve Ghalib over all. No wonder given they that they decided to serve him more than once and with the same papers. Story coming. Thank you!
What a fine job of investigative reporting, I commend you on a job well done…and so we continue to follow.
Miguel
Great! Gosh, thank you.
And it should read Chameleon Strategic Operations, Inc.
Interesting company with a checkered past involving Pellicano?
To Red Tomato. Here’s the next hearing in the civil suit:
12/2/09 Ram Moskowitz v. Adnan Ghalib – complaint for damages – motor vehicle. 8:30 a.m. post mediation conference. Case No. LC085114
Thanks, Carmela. I will be interested to see what develops.