Jefferies: Tabloids Tried To Blacken My Name
Justice 4 ALL Madeleine McCann Family :: Media Statements & Stories (PUBLIC) :: Media Statements & Stories
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Jefferies: Tabloids Tried To Blacken My Name
My friends, this was taken from JATYK:
A man wrongly arrested on suspicion of murdering Joanna Yeates said after he was detained the tabloid press "embarked on a frenzied campaign to blacken my character".
In his testimony to the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics, Ms Yeates' landlord Chris Jefferies said the newspapers "had decided I was guilty of her murder and seemed determined to persuade the public of my guilt".
He said they "published a series of very serious allegations about me that were completely untrue".
Mr Jefferies claimed the national media "shamelessly vilified me" and the UK press were on a "witch-hunt".
He said after he was released by police he was "effectively under house arrest" by the press because of their interest in him, as he moved from one friend's home to another, which he likened to "safe houses".
He brought legal proceedings for libel against eight newspapers in relation to allegations contained in 40 articles, the inquiry heard.
The retired school teacher won "substantial" undisclosed libel damages from the newspapers over the claims.
He said there were apologies in the publications he sued, but they were not on the front page.
Police wrongly arrested him over the killing of the 25-year-old landscape architect in December last year.
Mr Jefferies was no longer considered a suspect on March 4 and police lifted his bail conditions. He said his life only returned to normal when he was able to return to living in his flat in April.
Robert Jay QC, counsel for the inquiry, asked Mr Jefferies about when he was referred to as a "sexually perverted voyeur".
Mr Jefferies said: "It was suggested there may have been some sort of sexual motive to the murder of Jo Yeates and at that time I was obviously a suspect of that murder.
"On the other hand it was suggested in some articles that I was gay so that created a problem as far as that was concerned.
"It was then suggested in another article that I was bisexual so the press were trying to have it every possible way."
More at:
http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16118894
A man wrongly arrested on suspicion of murdering Joanna Yeates said after he was detained the tabloid press "embarked on a frenzied campaign to blacken my character".
In his testimony to the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics, Ms Yeates' landlord Chris Jefferies said the newspapers "had decided I was guilty of her murder and seemed determined to persuade the public of my guilt".
He said they "published a series of very serious allegations about me that were completely untrue".
Mr Jefferies claimed the national media "shamelessly vilified me" and the UK press were on a "witch-hunt".
He said after he was released by police he was "effectively under house arrest" by the press because of their interest in him, as he moved from one friend's home to another, which he likened to "safe houses".
He brought legal proceedings for libel against eight newspapers in relation to allegations contained in 40 articles, the inquiry heard.
The retired school teacher won "substantial" undisclosed libel damages from the newspapers over the claims.
He said there were apologies in the publications he sued, but they were not on the front page.
Police wrongly arrested him over the killing of the 25-year-old landscape architect in December last year.
Mr Jefferies was no longer considered a suspect on March 4 and police lifted his bail conditions. He said his life only returned to normal when he was able to return to living in his flat in April.
Robert Jay QC, counsel for the inquiry, asked Mr Jefferies about when he was referred to as a "sexually perverted voyeur".
Mr Jefferies said: "It was suggested there may have been some sort of sexual motive to the murder of Jo Yeates and at that time I was obviously a suspect of that murder.
"On the other hand it was suggested in some articles that I was gay so that created a problem as far as that was concerned.
"It was then suggested in another article that I was bisexual so the press were trying to have it every possible way."
More at:
http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16118894
Pedro Silva- Grand Member
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Registration date : 2008-10-20
Justice 4 ALL Madeleine McCann Family :: Media Statements & Stories (PUBLIC) :: Media Statements & Stories
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