What’s that dated axiom about throwing everything against the wall to see what sticks?
I’m no legal expert, but after spending more than two hours pouring over the legal filings between former Kansas City Star columnist Steve Penn and KC’s newspaper of record, I’m having a hard time coming up with one of Penn’s possible arguments that the Star didn’t file a motion to exclude.
Why confuse the jury by letting Penn get his side of the story in?
Seriously – and again, I’m no expert – but just about anything and everything imaginable Penn might want to cite to make his points that the newspaper defamed him – were argued in advance to be stricken from the courtroom conversation. If the Star’s legal team had its way, Penn might merely show up at court, lay down a few inconsequential epitaphs, then lay down promptly and die.
So we’ll see what if anything happens today at 9:30 a.m. when everyone shows up for trial at the Jackson County Courthouse.
You know, be there or be square.
For those of you really interested in this case and all the players, read this column by Jim Fitzpatrick and especially the subsequent comments (One by Hearne), especially John Altevogt’s.
http://jimmycsays.com/2011/07/13/steve-penn-a-horrible-way-to-pack-up-your-pencils/
This column was written by Fitz on July 15th, 2011 and the dirty laundry is on display in the front yard.
By the way, the last two comments are interestng, the penultimate is a pretty decent defense of Penn’s actions, the last, is hilarious.
From a Mr. Harvey Alexander.
“I think that the Star should hire someone to cover Steve Penn’s beat. I don’t care what color they are as long as they know the central city and can express the feelings and goings-on in the community. I read the article from Friday’s paper from some guy from the East Coast and was not impressed. Perhaps they could find guest columnists from Kansas City to present their opinions and observations. They could even come from the KC GLOBE or the Call.
It is a shame that Mr. Penn lost his job. Many people lose their jobs for what he did, but it is a shame that a supposedly large metropolitan newspaper only has one voice coming out of the black community. The fact that The Star was satisfied with that is a shame. It only took him 20 years to get the job in the first place, and he had to convince the powers that be that a black perspective was even needed in this city.
Yes, the paper has gone downhill in general. Only when we have a local person step up and run the paper like the founder of the Star, William Rockhill Nelson, will we have A PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE.”
I am assuming that Mr. Alexander is up to his neck in columns and editorials from the KC Red Star advancing the cause of his, er…, “The People”.
The Red Star? When did it get to be 1959 in here?
Also I could accept Altevogt’s comments if he wasn’t a 100% nutcase but he’s at about 203% and climbing.
You could fit all the useful unbiased information from the Red Star overr the last 30 years into Mao’s little red book.
Seems Penn did a quick kick and punted in court.