WTKR reporter, job agency both drop assault suits

Posted to: Crime News Norfolk
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By Matthew Bowers
Michelle Washington
The Virginian-Pilot
© October 1, 2009

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

Submitted by EmmettTheK on Thu, 10/01/2009 at 9:07 pm.

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

Submitted by wlaveist on Sun, 10/04/2009 at 2:19 pm.

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….

Submitted by R Clarence on Thu, 10/01/2009 at 4:47 pm.

…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

Submitted by Chocolatelab1 on Thu, 10/01/2009 at 1:47 pm.

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

Submitted by ricke69229 on Thu, 10/01/2009 at 12:50 pm.

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

Submitted by Kamentdog20 on Thu, 10/01/2009 at 8:11 am.

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

Submitted by Prairiedog on Thu, 10/01/2009 at 7:38 am.

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?

Submitted by Archie on Thu, 10/01/2009 at 7:29 am.

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.