October 15, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CBS 5 NEWS STANDS BY ITS INVESTIGATION OF JAIL MURDER

Today, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office responded to a CBS 5 News investigation that aired Monday and Tuesday nights into the murder of an inmate at the county jail. Jerry Sheridan, Chief of Custody for MCSO, accused CBS 5 News of enhancing or distorting the video.

CBS 5 News repeatedly invited the Sheriff’s Office to view the video before our investigations aired this week, plus extended multiple invitations to Sheriff Joe Arpaio to be interviewed for our story.

CBS 5 News stands by our story. The video was edited for broadcast in that it was extremely graphic in nature. Also, it took 20 minutes for the murder to happen, and our report showed you the story in 5 minutes.

KPHO news director Michelle Donaldson said, “At times during our report, we isolated or zoomed in on the surveillance video. However, everything on that video is as it happened in the jail and as it was recorded by the surveillance cameras.”

The investigation in question focused on the murder of inmate Robert Cotton in May 2008. Our report called into question claims by the Sheriff’s Office that detention officers responded immediately to the situation. The video refuted that claim, showing that the fatal beating lasted at least 15 minutes inside a jail cell, and another 5 minutes on an open walkway.

For more information, contact CBS 5 News Director Michelle Donaldson at 602-264-1000.