PhillyBlog - Philadelphia  

Go Back   PhillyBlog - Philadelphia > Who We Are > Philadelphians
Blogs Map Register FAQ Members List Calendar Mark Forums Read
Google
 
Web www.phillyblog.com

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 06-01-2008, 12:23 AM
preesi's Avatar
preesi preesi is offline
Tastykake Maker
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 353
Default Larry Mendte probed by FBI over Lane

HAHAHA!!! Was he looking for her Bikini Pics in her "sent" folder?


------------


Larry Mendte probed for snooping on Alycia Lane, sources say

By Michael Klein and John Shiffman
INQUIRER STAFF WRITERS
Federal authorities have launched a criminal investigation of CBS3 anchor Larry Mendte, searched his home and confiscated his personal computer, to determine whether he illegally accessed the private e-mail of former colleague Alycia Lane, numerous sources told The Inquirer yesterday.
Mendte's lawyer, Michael A. Schwartz, confirmed tonight that FBI agents approached his client on Thursday and searched his Chestnut Hill home.
Schwartz said it was related to "claims made by Alycia Lane." He added that "Larry is cooperating fully with the investigators and hopes to promptly reach a resolution of this matter."
Told of Schwartz's statement, Lane's attorney, Paul R. Rosen, said: "Alycia Lane did not make any claims involving anyone. The investigation by the FBI and the direction it took was done by the federal government and not by Alycia Lane.
"She was shocked when she learned of any invasion of her privacy," Rosen said.
The station issued a statement tonight that read: "Late this week CBS3 became aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office regarding anchor Larry Mendte. CBS3 is cooperating fully with that office in this investigation."
The seizing of Mendte's personal computer - a rarity given his status as a journalist - was done by FBI agents from the Computer-Crimes Squad executing a search warrant.
Simultaneously, agents visited the TV station to discuss the case with CBS3 management, said the sources, who are close to the case and insisted on anonymity.
It could not be learned today what prompted the investigation of Mendte, 51, a nearly five-year veteran of the CBS-owned station who has won 43 Mid-Atlantic Emmy awards. He arrived for work Friday but left abruptly. It was not clear when Mendte would return to work. His image was still on the station's Web site.
A person who answered the bell at the home Mendte shares with his wife, Fox29 anchor Dawn Stensland, said the couple was not there. They did not return messages left on their home answering machine and cell phones.
FBI spokeswoman Jerri Williams and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Levy, chief of the computer-crimes section, declined to comment.
Sources said the FBI is investigating whether Mendte read Lane's private e-mails. It is illegal under federal law to read another person's emails without their permission.
Lane was Mendte's coanchor until her firing on Jan. 1 after she was accused of hitting a New York City police officer. Felony charges against Lane were dropped, and summary charges are expected to be dropped later this summer. At that point, her record will be cleared.
Lane did not return messages today.
Lane burst onto the national radar as gossip fodder in May 2007 after Suzy Shuster, wife of cable sports anchor Rich Eisen, sent Lane a scathing e-mail to chastise Lane for sending vacation photos of her and her friends to Eisen. It was not disclosed how the New York Post's Page Six column obtained the e-mail, which did not include the original photos.
The search warrant for Mendte's home was approved by a federal magistrate, after an FBI agent submitted an affidavit alleging probable cause that a federal crime had been committed.
The Justice Department has directed federal prosecutors to exercise caution when seeking a search warrant to seize documents and computers from journalists. Such searches are usually narrowly tailored to avoid searching for documents and files related to legitimate news-gathering.
"Look, search warrants are serious in any situation," said former federal prosecutor Jeff Lindy. "But when any law enforcement agency is executing a search warrant in someone's home, as opposed to a pro-forma car search, they are going to be much more careful. And when the feds are involved, they are going to be even more careful. When you add on top of that a search of [a] journalists' home, you're going to be very, very careful."
Analyzing a seized computer can take months, according to defense lawyers and FBI agents who spoke last year during computer forensics presentations to the media.
"If there are codes and password. . . or they are searching for deleted information - and nothing is ever really deleted unless you take a sledge hammer to it - it's going to take longer," Lindy said. "What takes so long is the backlog. There aren't that many computer experts who work for the government. To think, this would be done in weeks is too short. Every computer that is searched has to wait in line."
Almost from the July 2003 hirings of Mendte and Lane, CBS3 began a dramatic rise in ratings. It quickly unseated Mendte's former station, NBC10, and has ranked a solid No. 2 behind market leader 6ABC.
Mendte has been a strong public face for the station, especially during the upheaval and uncertainty surrounding Lane's suspension and firing.
Mendte also wrote and directed the Emmy Award-winning documentary, Alex Scott: A Stand for Hope, about the life of Alex Scott, whose creation of a lemonade stand to fight pediatric cancer led to a national movement after her death at age 8. The documentary played in television markets across the country, according to a station biography. The documentary also was honored by the National Society of Professional Journalists with the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi award for best documentary.
Before joining CBS3 in July 2003, Mendte spent six years at NBC10. His station bio says he previously co-hosted Access Hollywood and was weekday anchor and investigative reporter at Chicago's WBBM-TV and he was a main anchor for KFMB-TV in San Diego and a weekend anchor at WABC-TV in New York.
Contact staff writer Michael Klein at 215-854-5514 or mklein@phillynews.com.


Find this article at:
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news...d=053108081939
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 06-01-2008, 09:47 AM
keeptab's Avatar
keeptab keeptab is offline
Tastykake Maker
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Super Cedar Park
Posts: 460
Default

Just heard about this........on NBC-10, no less

in the words of his great wife Dawn Stensland, "Isn't that just sick??"
How am I not surprised that controversy (on a federal level, no less) has attracted the dubious Mr. Mente.....
given his entertainment background (ha), and his luck of the draw (or drawers) of scoring a co-anchor like the attention-grabbing Lane (double ha), he has finally garnered a date with the feds...........over what?
Allegedly snooping into her coochie-mail?

Now I know who the "eye" of CBS-3 Eyewitness news has really been on all of this time, thanks to the peacock.

What a way to end May sweeps.

(BTW, did anyone even so much as blink when Dave Huddleston's departure was recently announced from Dawn's iron side over on "fire" Fox? http://www.philly.com/inquirer/break...ave_Fox29.html ).......run, don't walk from the Mente/Stenslands......in a heap of panic.
Grab the kids.
__________________

This was a Tomorrow vs. Yesterday election, and in America,
Tomorrow usually wins such contests.
m.s.e.


what I read a female would do to any trollop if they try to carouse with our new President:

"Proverbs 26:3
A whip for the horse, a halter for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!"
ouch.






Last edited by keeptab : 06-01-2008 at 09:59 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 06-01-2008, 10:31 AM
TC08105's Avatar
TC08105 TC08105 is offline
Water Ice Vendor
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SEPA
Posts: 682
Default

Quote:
"We appreciate Dave's many contributions to WTXF during his time with FOX 29 News," general manager Mike Renda said in a statement.
Why the charade? Aren't they firing the guy? Maybe Larry can step in and co host with his wife. If he still has one after the Alicia Lane fiasco.

Is this guy dumb or what?
__________________
I knew my parents hated me. My bath toys were a radio and a toaster!-Rodney Dangerfield
Reply With Quote

Advertisement

   
     
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 06-01-2008, 11:20 AM
Cavalier92 Cavalier92 is offline
Pretzel Vendor
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Live in SJ, work in CC
Posts: 3
Default Poor Larry

We all wanted a peek at those shots, but this is over the top.
__________________
______________________________________________
"Another Delco Guy in South Jersey"
www.cavalier92.com
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 06-01-2008, 02:25 PM
TVandSportsGuy's Avatar
TVandSportsGuy TVandSportsGuy is offline
Cheesesteak GURU! Wiz with
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Center City
Posts: 1,261
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TC08105 View Post
Why the charade? Aren't they firing the guy? Maybe Larry can step in and co host with his wife. If he still has one after the Alicia Lane fiasco.

Is this guy dumb or what?

And Maybe Dave can slide over to CBS3
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 06-01-2008, 03:33 PM
Illiniwek's Avatar
Illiniwek Illiniwek is online now
Oskee Wow Wow
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Greater Logan Square Metropolitan Area
Posts: 5,419
Default

Local government won't prosecute people for gun-related offenses.

The feds are investigating for a potential prosecution for the crime of reading someone's e-mail.

As long as we have our priorities in place....
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 06-01-2008, 03:45 PM
ChiefSalsa's Avatar
ChiefSalsa ChiefSalsa is offline
Cheeky Bastard
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: A theocratic sheethole
Posts: 5,624
Default

Maybe the FBI wants to see the pictures, too.
__________________
The Phils are champs, go phuck yourself!
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 06-01-2008, 04:35 PM
roxyfoxy roxyfoxy is online now
Water Ice Vendor
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 542
Default

Gee, this is really convenient for Larry. He can just go join Dawn on Channel 29 at 10 now that Dave H. is leaving. Timing is everything!
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old 06-01-2008, 04:41 PM
TVandSportsGuy's Avatar
TVandSportsGuy TVandSportsGuy is offline
Cheesesteak GURU! Wiz with
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Center City
Posts: 1,261
Default

Just saw on PhillyGossip.com that Larry is suspended Indefintely by CBS3 pending further investigation
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old 06-01-2008, 07:53 PM
alesis's Avatar
alesis alesis is offline
Cheesesteak GURU! Wiz with
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Cantfeedumdontbreedum, PA
Posts: 8,391
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TVandSportsGuy View Post
Just saw on PhillyGossip.com that Larry is suspended Indefintely by CBS3 pending further investigation
I wonder if this will lead him towards the downward spiral of frequenting Kildare's, hanging out with Booker, and calling the NYPD "lesbos"?
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:49 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.