AHAHEIM MAYOR STORY

You are a reporter for a local ne
ws organization. At about 9 a.m. today
you receive a text
message from s
omeone identified only as
“
a
concerned citizen.” The message alleges that
Anaheim Mayor Thomas
Hillman was arrested
last night
by Buena
Park police officers on
suspicion of DUI and possession of cocaine. “Concerned citizen” also says that Hillman at the
time of his arrest was with a
young
woman who is not his wife.
You reply with a text message asking that person identify
himself or hers
elf
. Instead you get
phone call from Frank Johnson, a well
–
known political activist
. You
have interviewed
him
in
the past. He is
a
longtime critic of the mayor, calling him corrupt,
though that charge
has
never
been
substantiated. You ask Johnson to elaborate on hi
s allegation. Johnson replies that
a “friend” who works for the Buena Park Police Department is his source, and he invites you to
check out the report yourself.
You call Buena Park PD and speak to spokesman Fernando Parra, a police officer. He
confirms t
he general facts and promises to get back in touch with more details.
Some 30 minutes later, he calls back to say has e
–
mailed
you
a statement. This is what it says:
At approximately 11:30 p.m. last night, officer
s observed a Mercedes p
roceeding erratical
ly on
Beach Boulevard in Buena Park.
The car was weaving wildly from lane to lane, nearly
colliding with parked vehicles.
Patrol
officers
conducted a traffic stop.
The driver was asked to step from the car, and officers observed that he was unable to stand
without swaying or
walk without staggering. He
was asked if he would consent to a sobriety
test. The driver initially objected but subsequently agreed and was administered the
test
. It
was determined the driver exceeded the legal limits for blood alcohol content.
Officer
s determined that the driver was Thomas Hillman, age 56, of Anaheim. He informed
officers
that
he is mayor of said city.
Mr. Hillman then asked if he could be allowed to leave, in
view of the fact that he is mayor of a neighboring city and had
important
business to attend
to at that moment.
Officers, assessing Mr. Hillman’s condition, refused his request.
Further, officers determined there was probable cause to conduct a search of the
vehicle, later
identified as
a 2011 Mercedes CLS.
Mr. Hillman consente
d to a search of his car, and officers disco
vered two grams of a substance.
It was subjected to
a fie
ld test
which
indicated
it
to be cocaine.
At that point Mr. Hillman was
taken into custody and booked on suspicion of DUI and felony possession of a controlled
substance.
A femal
e minor in the vehicle with him was arrested on charges of public intoxication and
released to the custody of her parents.
Mr. Hillman
remains in custody at the Orange County jail
pending a bond hearing later today.
You then call Officer Parra and ask ab
out th
e girl with Hillman. He says she is 17, but he
is
unable to disclose any other information, as she is a minor.
Next, you call Hillman’s office and speak with the mayor’s spokesman, Ryan Nguyen. Here’s
what Nguyen says:
“I don’t have
a
prepared
statement. We’re just sorting through the details. I can tell you that
the mayor is willing to face the consequences of his actions, but at this point he is not admitting
to any of these
criminal
charges.
The legal process
must play out and f
or now
we as
k that
everyone withhold judgment. Remember, in our system of justice everyone is innocent until
proven guilty.
Let me stress that the mayor looks forward to his day in court.
”
You ask him a
bout the girl
with the mayor. He replies, “Look, I would not read too much into
that. I have not
had
a long conversation with t
he mayor. Knowing him, I’m sure there’s
nothing improper involve
d with her being in the car. The facts will come out.
”
Nguyen says he does not know when the mayor might be released from jail and if he will
immediately resume hi
s duties.
He promises to have a prepared statement ready later today.
W
rit
e a n
ews story of between 225 and 275
words.
As you organize the story, ask yourself what belongs in the lead? What about the second and
third paragraphs?
You don’t know who the young woman is. All the police have told you is that she was in the
mayor’s
car and was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication. She was released to her
parents’ custody. So how does she figure in the story?
If you mention her in the lead,
are you
implying something?
This is a one
–
sided story, because you don’t have the mayor’s account of what happened. His
spokesman has not offered
a ringing defense. Instead, he is asking that you not make hasty
judgments.
Still, the mayor
’
s side of things needs to be noted early in the story.
In time Mayor
Hillman likely would
present his
full
version of events. For now, you have an
official report of alleged criminal behavior by a local elected official. This is enough to prod
uce
your story. If the information is properly attributed this will be a fair and reasonably
comprehensive story.
Finally, do you think the person who provided the tip deserves mention? If so, why? If not,
why not?
You need not answer that question in writing. Simply let the answer guide how you
write the piece.
With an official statement from the Buena Park Police Department, do you
need an additional source?

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