Does the Reporter Feel Any Remorse Here

[IntenseOperator]

Heard this off local radio this afternoon. The reporter had known this city politician for some time. He secretly taped a long conversation with him. Then the guy goes and blows his head off in the newspapers lobby. (I may have gotten a fact or two wrong). A bit of a slimy reporter, and no doubt a slimy politician.



Indicted Ex-Miami Commissioner Fatally Shoots Himself At Newspaper After Asking To See Writer

By CORALIE CARLSON Associated Press Writer
The Associated Press

MIAMI Jul 27, 2005 ? A former city commissioner recently indicted on corruption charges fatally shot himself Wednesday in the lobby of The Miami Herald building, authorities said.

Arthur E. Teele Jr. shot himself in the head shortly after 6 p.m., police said. He had just asked a security guard if he could see columnist Jim DeFede, an acquaintance of many years, The Herald reported.

"He (Teele) said to tell DeFede to tell his wife he loves her," the guard said.


Miami police spokesman Delrish Moss said Teele died at 7:50 p.m. at Ryder Trauma Center. Authorities said the weapon used was a semiautomatic.

Herald Executive editor Tom Fiedler said after the shooting and before Teele died that there would be no immediate comment from the newspaper.

A spokesman for the city Fire-Rescue Department, Ignatius Carroll, said Teele was found with two small caliber holes in the back of his head. Initially Teele responded to questions by blinking his eyes on command, he said.

"What a tragedy it is for his family, for the community," City Commissioner Johnny Winton said. "It's unbelievable. He was a fighter and I respected that part of him."

Teele and an electrical contractor were indicted July 14 on charges of lying to get more than $20 million in contracts at Miami International Airport that were supposed to go to minority-owned businesses.

Teele, who is black, is also a former Miami-Dade County commissioner. He was convicted in March in state court of threatening a police officer as part of an unrelated corruption investigation that has yet to go to trial.

DeFede said he spoke with Teele several times Wednesday, the Herald reported.

In the longest call, about 90 minutes before the shooting, Teele spoke emotionally about his legal problems and various allegations that had been made against him, the report said.

"He was very upset," said DeFede, who knew Teele for 14 years.

In their last call, Teele said he was at the Herald and leaving DeFede a package, but did not sound particularly upset, DeFede said.

 

[ocelot]

Any idea why the reporter taped conversation? Article leaves that unanswered in my mind.

 

[IntenseOperator]

From what I understand.....

This former commissioner had made a few illegal moves in the past, and was now again being caught up in something else. The reporter knew him for some time. I think they may have even been somewhat close. The reporter knew his family and everything. This type thing goes on all the time in sports/politics where certain people have favorite reporters and even get close to them. I think the politician had a type of breakdown with his "friend" and opened up by talking a storm about recent events and was generally feeling extremely sorry for himself. His "friend", the reporter, secretly got the tape rolling during this state of depression. I don't know if the politician knew he was being taped, or if he planned on blowing his head off soon after his long converasation anyways. But he went to the lobby of the reporters paper, called the reporter, told him to tell his wife he loved her, then killed himself. My understanding is the reporter ran to his bosses immediately after hearing what happened and told them he had a tape of a long conversation. The fired him upon hearing he got the tape illegally.

Wonder if the reporter will be doing a story about the funeral? Wife might take a swing at him.

 

[IntenseOperator]

Thousands Mourn Miami Commissioner




Sunday, July 31, 2005 10:00 p.m. ET
By LISA ORKIN EMMANUEL Associated Press Writer
MIAMI (AP) -- A block-long line of mourners waited outside a funeral home Sunday to pay final respects to a former commissioner who shot himself to death in the lobby of The Miami Herald building.

About 2,000 people attended the public viewing for Arthur Teele Jr., 59, who shot himself in the newspaper's lobby Wednesday, the same day another newspaper published lurid accusations against him. He had recently been convicted of threatening a police officer and indicted on federal corruption charges.


"We will never let his name die ... And the good deeds that he has done," friend Resshelle Burnes-Davis said.

Teele, often described as one of the first influential black Republicans in Miami, was widely regarded as a talented, though sometimes abrasive, politician. He once punched a lobbyist in the face to prove his political loyalties.

Many mourners blamed the media for Teele's suicide.

"He was convicted without a trial. The media was the judge and jury. He was tried in the media, but sentenced himself," mourner Nerissa Cannon said.

Hours after Teele's death, the Herald fired columnist Jim DeFede for secretly taping a phone conversation with him. The secret taping was a possible violation of state law and the newspaper's ethical standards.

The day Teele killed himself, the Miami New Times published a report online titled "Tales of Teele: Sleaze Stories." The weekly newspaper's story was largely based on police reports and detailed Teele's alleged contacts with drug dealers, reputed homosexual affairs and the corruption charges.

Across the street from the funeral home, about a dozen protesters gathered behind two large wooden signs that urged people to not buy either of the newspapers.

 

[Nosigar]

Apparently (allegedly) he admitted on tape that he was gay or had had homosexual affairs. Teele had legal trouble (corruption) for years.

 

[THE HITMAN]

Polititian Teele also was 1.7 million dollars in debt, some $800,000 to the IRS alone. He was already convicted once this year and ready to go to trial again for other offenses: fraud & money laundering. He was married, but a male prostitute testified that Teele paid him $450 for sexual encounters. A fine role model , for sure.
However, the black community, especially pastors & preachers, continues to embrace him. Many of them are blaming the media and other non minorities for his suicide.........the reasoning being they put him in a corner, pushed him too hard, printed his personal life problems & conducted a witch hunt.

Ahhhh, denial, what a wonderful screen to place oneself behind. Do it long enough and you can actually convince yourself of innocence.