Why would local newspaper editor lie about call to reader?

Kathy Nelson, is new to St Augustine. She doesn’t know the political and social connections yet and I’m sure she’s still learning her way around some of St Augustine’s landmarks; especially when they are regularly expressed in terms of where so and so used to be.

Be that as it may, she is the Editor of what passes for a local newspaper in St Augustine. She has a fancy title that is supposed to convey some hip, fresh new image of what it is that she does … but she’s the editor.

Ten days ago, according to our telephone log, Historic City News received a telephone call from Clara Waldhari, an outspoken advocate for various social and community issues, historic preservation, and authentic interpretation of our Spanish heritage. From time to time, she publically and vocally lends her support to causes and issues that are unpopular, embarrassing or that may be politically controversial.

Clara generally is careful to “play by the rules”, she understands boundaries and I believe she tries to respect them — even when her tone or reaction betrays the temptation to exact an eye-for-an-eye. In no small part, I believe she is protective of the fact that her husband may or may not agree with her on a particular issue and, as a city government employee, he needs to remain neutral in many of her battles. I have known that to be true for at least the past eight or ten years.

Clara writes extensively on public forums, discussion boards, news websites and social media like facebook. She has written tons of comments and analysis of articles published by the local newspaper and was one of the original readers who posted comments in Talk of the Town; the newspapers moderated forums. That is, until recently.

That day, Waldhari told Historic City News that at 10:59 a.m. on September 9th she received a phone call from Kathy Nelson at the newspaper. She explained that she was a little surprised to hear from Nelson at home, but that Nelson started the call by asking for Clara’s help, so she invited her to go on.

According to Waldhari, who logged the seven-minute and 23 second telephone call, and took detailed notes, Nelson asked her to do her a favor and stop writing in support of a “coroner’s inquest” in the shooting death of Michelle O’Connell. Waldhari does not trust the suicide findings published by the special assistant state attorney assigned to review this death, and, of course, the police investigation which was botched.

Last year the New York Times sent a reporter to St Augustine to speak with people and gather evidence for an article critical of the St Johns County Sheriff’s Office who, during the first critical hours of the investigation, treated the female gunshot victim’s live-in boyfriend as nothing more than a witness. The reason for the casual handling and lax processing was because the boyfriend, Jeremy Banks, is a Deputy Sheriff with the agency. The investigators took Banks at his word that Michelle had used his service pistol to kill herself and that he had nothing to do with her death.

The story has also been reported in a FRONTLINE television crime investigation episode.

Waldhari doesn’t mince words or sugar-coat her opinions that Banks played more of a role in O’Connell’s death. She said that Nelson asked her to stop using the term “murderer” and to stop accusing Banks of a sinister role in the closed suicide investigation.

According to Waldhari, Nelson explained to her that the reason for her call was because a local lawyer, Robert L “Mac” McLeod, a former prosecutor turned personal injury attorney, threatened to sue the newspaper if they continued to publish what he called false and defamatory comments about his client, Jeremy Banks.

Waldhari responded to Nelson’s request in an e-mail after she gathered her thoughts. In that e-mail she wrote, “Mac McLeod is advocating for his client. Why would The Record fold? Don’t you see? They are trying to shut up ANOTHER woman.”

Waldhari agreed to abide by the newspaper’s request and policies but said she would continue to advocate for Michelle O’Connell because Michelle can no longer advocate for herself.

“I intend to write advocacy pieces that support drawing attention to Michelle’s death; not as a challenge to you, or Mac, or anyone else — but because this is important,” Waldhari wrote.

Last Wednesday, Folio, a Jacksonville social tabloid, ran an article titled, “SOMEBODY’S LYING”. They conducted their own investigation into the telephone call allegations and were surprised to report that now, Nelson claims she never called Waldhari. What’s more, McLeod claims he never called Nelson.

In rebuttal to Waldhari’s accusations, Record publisher Delinda Fogel wrote, “There was no middle-of-the-night phone call. That is simply not true. It simply did not happen.”

“I have never called or spoken to Kathy Nelson and have no clue as to why or how this allegation could have started or gained any traction,” McLeod wrote in an email. “Anyone that says I have called her or made any complaints about their postings is either wholly Ignorant or duplicitous … I cannot recall the last time I was awake at 2:00 a.m., much Less making phone calls.”

Nelson replied. “Clara was warned and then banned from commenting on our website because she continually violates terms of service.”