Rittenhouse Judge Bans MSNBC from Courthouse After Freelancer Follows Juror Bus
A man confirmed to be a freelancer for NBC followed a bus assigned to take jurors in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse home on Wednesday.
Rittenhouse is facing charges related to the shootings of three men during the racial justice riots that occurred in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Aug. 25, 2020.
On Day 13 of the trial — the jury’s third day of deliberations — Judge Bruce Schroeder went live on the trial’s broadcast to inform the media about what happened.
According to Schroeder, the jurors in this trial are being transported to the courthouse from another location via a “sealed bus” with the windows covered.
??? Judge Schroeder: Kenosha police reported someone followed the bus carrying the Rittenhouse jurors last night while claiming to work for MSNBC. It is under investigation. No one working for MSNBC will be allowed inside the courthouse for the duration of the trial.
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) November 18, 2021
“Kenosha police reported someone followed the bus carrying the Rittenhouse jurors last night while claiming to work for MSNBC,” Townhall’s Julio Rosas reported on Twitter.
“It is under investigation. No one working for MSNBC will be allowed inside the courthouse for the duration of the trial.”
On Wednesday evening, “a person who identified himself as James Jim Morrison” who was later identified as a freelancer with NBC was caught by police following the bus from a distance.
Police noticed the man after he ran through a red light, according to Schroeder.
He was then ticketed for violating a traffic control signal.
The man told police he had been instructed by his producer — a woman he calls “Irene Byon” in New York — to follow the bus.
BREAKING: A man claiming to be a journalist with MSNBC followed the bus that took jurors home.
He claims he was following the orders of one Irene Byon.
Byon is a booking producer for NBC News. It is possible NBC was looking to book the jurors for interviews on the case. pic.twitter.com/4zJRe3xaIi
— Michael Austin (@mikeswriting) November 18, 2021
There is a woman by the name of Irene Byon who works for NBC News as a booking agent and is based out of San Diego, California, according to her Linkedin profile.
NOW – Person allegedly from NBC/MSNBC was instructed to follow the jury bus in the #Rittenhouse trial. Judge orders to exclude the two news outlets from the trial pending further investigation. pic.twitter.com/OLFDI4yfog
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) November 18, 2021
“I have instructed that no one from MSNBC News will be permitted in this building for the duration of this trial,” Schroeder said.
“This is a very serious matter and I don’t know what the ultimate truth of it is but absolutely it would go without much thinking that someone who is following the jury bus — that is a very, that’s an extremely serious matter.”
Schroeder then said the matter would be “referred to the proper authorities” for further investigation.
A spokesperson for NBC News confirmed that the freelancer received a traffic citation near the jury bus.
Just in: NBC News spox denies any attempt to photograph Rittenhouse jurors
“While the traffic violation took place near the jury van, the freelancer never contacted or intended to contact the jurors during deliberations, and never photographed or intended to photograph them.” pic.twitter.com/nm9eKS09zr
— Jeremy Barr (@jeremymbarr) November 18, 2021
“Last night, a freelancer received a traffic citation. While the traffic violation took place near the jury van, the freelancer never contacted or intended to contact the jurors during deliberations, and never photographed or intended to photograph them,” the spokesperson said.
“We regret the incident and will fully cooperate with the authorities on any investigation.”
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