by Hispanic Link wires
Is it the end of an innefficient system. (Photo by Marvin J. Ramirez)
Bob Hall, president and general manager of KFSN resigned Nov. 23 under pressure after stating in Fresno, Calif., County Superior Court the previous week that he couldn’t be a fair juror in a Hispanic man’s carjacking trial. KFSN newsroom research, Hall said, showed Hispanics had a propensity to commit violent crimes.
Hall later apologized and said no such research existed. Hispanic leaders who met with ABC Channe 30 management were represented by Fresno County Democratic Party Chair José Murillo, who stated, “We just wanted to verify that there is no such research.”
Murillo said KFSN agreed to investigate whether studies correlating Hispanic ethnicity and propensity to crime had been or was being conducted by the station. The station said it wasn’t and promised to create a weekly show featuring Hispanics in a positive light.
Questioned while in a jury pool, Hall had told the Superior Court judge that KFSN research linked Hispanic males, crime and “the propensity of a person to commit violent crimes from socioeconomic groups.”
The judge dismissed Hall and all potential jurors who heard the statement. Hall made an on-air apology and resigned the next day.
