NORFOLK
A TV reporter and two people associated with a controversial employment agency she was reporting on have dropped assault charges against each other stemming from a scuffle outside court.
Barbara Ciara, veteran anchor and reporter for WTKR NewsChannel 3, and James M. O’Leary Jr. and Crystal L. Harrison of Virginia Employment Services had accused each other after Ciara’s attempts to interview O'Leary following an Aug. 19 hearing turned into pushing and shouting.
Tom Baldwin, clerk of the General District Court, said today that all of the charges were dismissed by mutual agreement.
Previously, Ciara had written in a court complaint that O'Leary had hit and shoved her, and that Harrison had "slammed the door on my head."
In a cross-complaint, O'Leary had accused Ciara of pushing and bumping him, hitting him in the face and nose with her microphone, and smearing his shirt with her pen. Harrison had accused Ciara of grabbing and hurting her arm at an SUV. O'Leary also had said he wanted a restraining order against Ciara and WTKR.
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WTKR reporter, job agency both drop assault suits
Persons with comments on this particular story and question Ms. Ciara's reporter approach are reminded of the original Virginian Pilot story of August 25, 2009 pertaining to Mr. O'Leary's Virginia Employment Services (VES)company. I quote: "Clementson (David Clementson, a spokesman for the attorney general's office) said VES customers should continue to report the company's "fraudulent activities" to the state Office of Consumer Affairs." Go easy on Ms. Ciara, she was simply attempting to get a comment from an alleged crook and perhaps Mr. O'Leary tripped on his own words.
This is the abridged version
This is the abridged version of a commentary that was published in the opinion section of the August 31, 2009 print edition of The Virginian-Pilot.
Ciara was right to confront businessman
By Wil LaVeist
When a journalist is doing her job right, she may not always look good. That doesn’t make her wrong or bad.
Veteran TV reporter and anchor Barbara Ciara has been catching flak from Hampton Roads viewers, readers and some fellow journalists for an on-camera confrontation with a businessman outside of a courthouse. The explosive video may have been temporarily good for ratings at her station NewsChannel 3, but the popular misperception that the news media are the bogeyman has become the story. Ciara was actually doing what I hope citizens believe journalists must do – confront people in power and expose possible injustices...
Full disclosure: I know Ciara and her husband, Artie, and consider them friends. I edited her column for MIX Magazine when I was publisher/editor. Personally, I would not have filed a lawsuit. Management should’ve known it would only trigger a countersuit. No one was injured. The damaged camera is probably insured. Move on and let cooler heads p
Didn’t….
…know they’d filed suit. Thought it was just cross warrants.
She interviewed me twice in the eighties. Nothing major, one tape never made the air. She was as nice as anyone would want to be around. Those interviews were arranged and without the confrontational nature it appears she sought with her disgraceful conduct in this matter. Sad.
That said, and at the risk of being accused of ‘kissing-up’, the Pilot’s reporters have always been the best to deal with. They’ve always looked me in the eye when we’ve talked and not a camera. Jim Washington was the last I had contact with. Hope he’s doing OK.
CIARA
I've been in the tidewater area since 76 and never liked her when she came on the air and still don't. I wish she would just go away!!!!
Ciara, paparrazi, etc. All wrong
Being a reprter means nothing. Harrass something not willing to spill thier business all over the city/nation and you deserve a good butt-kicking and assault charges. They take themselves way to seriously. An idiot could figure out they're not going to get comments form unwilling peple. I feel they actually encourage such tussles to create more drama. Could also possibly mean Ciara has a little bad-girl attitude left form her youthful days....hmmmm
Ciara
If someone with a microphone stuck their uninvited head into my car I think that I would probably do a little more than slam the door on it. Ciara is the local version of paparazzi - and that is not a compliment. But like any true blowhard she had to make a dumb act dumber by filing a lawsuit.
Barbara Ciara
Barbara is definitely an "anchor" for the news program. She sinks, is heavy to carry and drags everyone down with her. "DUMP CIARA" and maybe I'll watch that station news.
When will I watch WTKR news again?
Perhaps when Barbara Ciera is sent to the bench or let go I will watch WTKR News again. No big loss, though. TV news should be called "News Light." Or "Reality News -- Not useful, but action packed."
Barbara, news gathering should not be a contact sport.
B. Ciara
The corporate Texan owners should ask why this video even aired in the first place.
This is much 'a do 'bout nothin'.
Barbara is tough. She's not going anywhere.
Yea, she was relentless in her pursuit. Aggressive.
She's still the Queen of local TV.
awful
Ciara is awful
I don't watch WTKR anymore
I don't watch WTKR anymore because of the horrible news reporting by Ciara. She is not a journalist but just someone who wants to make the news herself. She should have been fired over this. Not very good publicity if you ask me.
It's not shock reporting. It's sinful natures.
What the news lady did is what she will do to every one she dislikes for one reason or another. She lives her own ways justifying her actions instead of admitting to them. She is violent and a blamer. She bases her actions on what another does. She is the real criminal in this story. The world will always be backwards until they accept Jesus Christ for who He is and admit they have been in rebellion. There are many beleivers but few who follow.
Ciara and her fellow goons
Ciara and her fellow goons were WAY out of line.
a previous remarker was correct. You can't hit someone in the head with a car door unless the idiot sticks their head in the way.
You also can't hit a newscaster in the head with your car door if they are two miles away at their desk researching a story.
A new low for an already discredited profession
Broadcast news keeps losing rating points every year, in large measure because they listen to consultants who tell them "what we want" based on their focus group studies. Hence the "if it bleeds it leads" mentality and the resultant race to the bottom. So what the video depicts is just part of the overall coarsening of the "news product."
If one watches the video, it speaks for itself. Someone might want to mention to Ms. Ciara that Mike Wallace has retired.
Another interesting point is one made or inferred above: once the reigning queen anchor of the market, and one of the very few people who has enjoyed a career at all three local affiliates, Ms. Ciara now finds herself out as a street reporter. One wonders why.
How dare this brute get away
How dare this brute get away from assualting a veteran anchorwoman in front of millions of people! He should have responded to the questions in a respectful manner and then move along in an orderly manner.
You are using sarcasm to make your point?
Right?
tongue in cheek
I hope your tongue was in your cheek with your comment, because otherwise you are foolish.
He did not have to do or say anything. She slugged him.
Quit living by your hate filled emotions. He has the right to remain silent. She does not have the right to assault him.
You're being sarcastic,
You're being sarcastic, right?
hmmm
Sounds like an attempt by both to save face. The man and woman are no pillars of society, and Ciara/WTKR wouldn't want the negative publicity.
Here's a hint Barbara: If you don't stick your head in the door, you can't be hit by it when it's closed.
One of these days Ms. Ciara or someone like her will be seriously hurt. And they will only have themselves to blame.