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35 Comments | Would Nation News Editor Roy Morris Have Been Charged With Rape If Blogs Hadn’t Broken The Story? | Would Nation News Editor Roy Morris Have Been Charged With Rape If Blogs Hadn't Broken The Story? | 35 comments | … more »
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35 Comments | Would Nation News Editor Roy Morris Have Been Charged With Rape If Blogs Hadn’t Broken The Story? | Would Nation News Editor Roy Morris Have Been Charged With Rape If Blogs Hadn't Broken The Story? | 35 comments | … more »
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Source: Barbados Journalist Roy Morris At Oistins Police Station - Arrested, Charged In Sex Assault CaseUPDATED: Tropical Storm Dean Expected To Become HURRICANE
August 15, 2007 ... 4:24 am
Would Nation News Editor Roy Morris Have Been Charged With Rape If Blogs Hadn't Broken The Story?
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My friends, on Tuesday, August 14, 2007, veteran journalist Roy Morris was charged with rape by the Royal Barbados Police Force.He was released on bail after appearing in court.
This article is not about Roy's guilt or innocence, or about the specifics of the criminal allegations.This article is about whether or not Bajan blogs impacted the decision of the police and the prosecutors to bring formal charges against a well known and influential journalist.
During the past four weeks everyone heard the rumours - whether from a friend at work, at the local rum shop, online at various Bajan blogs and chat sites or while on the ZR after school.Now, after four weeks of uncertainty and rumours Mr. Morris has been charged and he will face his accuser in court.
Would Mr. Morris have been charged at all if various Barbados blogs hadn't carried the story?
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Editor Roy Morris has appeared in court charged with rape.
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Morris was made to surrender his passport and told to report to the District B Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
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FORMER Editor of the Nation Publishing Company, Roy Morris, was charged with one count of rape.
He was placed on $10 000 bail with one surety.Morris was required to surrender all travel documents and has to report to District B Police station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
He will return to court on November 1.Morris appeared before Magistrate Robert Simmons at the District B Magistrates Court.
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ROY MORRIS, managing editor of The Nation Publishing Company, appeared before the District "B" Boarded Hall Magistrates' Court yesterday on a charge of rape.
Morris, of Warrens Park, St Thomas, was not required to plead to having unlawful sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old female.
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On Monday, July 23, 2007, sources within the Nation News contacted Barbados Free Press and informed us that Associate Managing Editor Roy Morris had been asked for his resignation after an alleged sexual impropriety with a female several days earlier.We were also informed us that Mr. Morris was nowhere to be found and that the entire matter was being hushed up by both the Nation News and the Royal Barbados Police Force.We were told that Anne Gittens loaned her car to Morris to help him avoid the police during the first few days.
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We were told that the management at The Nation News sent journalist Timothy Slinger to camp out on the doorstep of Police Commissioner Dottin to call in a favour for Roy Morris - to have the investigation sidetracked.
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July 23, 2007 - Roy Morris Told To Resign From The Nation News ! ?
July 26, 2007 - Roy Morris - Nation News Train Wreck Continues
July 29, 2007 - World Is Watching Barbados Political Scandals - Really!TWO Bajan Blogs Make WordPress "Top 100″ List Out Of 1.2 Million Blogs
One Source Says Barbados Free Press And Other Blogs Made A Difference
BFP reader and commenter "Mr.Know" has been an accurate source of information about the Morris case from the beginning. (It is also interesting that "Mr.Know" always uses an anonymous proxy IP when posting, so we at Barbados Free Press or anyone else couldn't possibly discover his or her identity).
Yesterday when we were informed that Morris was about to be arrested and charged, we published our article - Source: Barbados Journalist Roy Morris At Oistins Police Station - Arrested, Charged In Sex Assault Case.In response, reader Passin Thru said…
"I am surprised that a big up like Morris was charged.
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Know" credits the blogs with at least some influence in the decision to charge Mr. Morris.
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Would Roy Morris have been charged if blogs had not broken the story and asked pointed questions about the case?
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And Roy is not a big up.
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Barbados is too small for people like Roy because he did it before about 10 yrs ago with a pretty young ting who used to work at the advocate and Oistins again was the station of choice but next thing you know she was fired and got about $30 000 which she probably spent on a Gucci bag and two trips.I would buy land.Land doesn't waste and he still had his job.Speaking of land, Roy could hide and buy land but he can't hide and wuk it.
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I hear Roy is home on sedatives while his wife is cussing him daily and gracefully walking in the Nation head held high.Go girl.
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But wait, the women were going to riot, no strike, to keep Roy.Looka, I glad none of my girl relatives wuk there!But I do not have all the facts of the case, so let's see how it plays out.My guess is an acquittal cos the girl will refuse to testify and he will be back at his desk ordering about people and denigrating his wife.
God Bless David (Not Thompson or Commissiong!)August 15, 2007 at 9:27 am
Since when did Roy Morris become a "big-up"???
paul sealyAugust 15, 2007 at 10:10 am
I bet he's not the only one that hates the internet right about now….lol..yes blogs made a major impact on the outcome…..now if we can only get the same to happen to politicians and other big up criminals with a lot of money around here!!!…that would be progress.
The Demise of Roy Morris: Veteran Journalist At The Nation Newspaper Part II « Barbados Underground
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Answer: Not only would Morris never have been charged, the police wouldn't have even investigated.
THANK YOU BARBADOS FREE PRESS
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You have demonstrated without a doubt that an M16 ( the young girl's age ) has more power than an AK 47 ( Roy Morris' age ) !
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I heard Roy is on suicide watch.
Top Posts « WordPress.comAugust 15, 2007 at 11:59 pm
[…] Would Nation News Editor Roy Morris Have Been Charged With Rape If Blogs Hadn't Broken The St… [image] Did Blogs Prevent A Cover-Up… Or Is That Idea Absurd?
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While everybody is cussing out Roy, why would a 16 yr old call herself gold digger?Any thoughts
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Payne maybe be smiling now after his run in with Morris led to his demise as a BLP minister.Payne's lack of thought saw him writing threatening words to Morris on his Ministry's letterhead.What was he thinking?
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Roy Morris is only before the courts because of who he is and because men in Barbados, lack the intestinal fortitude to do what is right!
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Why persons close to Roy Morris's case suggest that there is insufficient evidence to justify the charge, the overwhelming concern by each person associated with the investigation was "…I really do not want to be the one who appears to have given Roy an easy time or let him off the hook, …but if this was a report involving two ordinary citizens it would have been 'REJECTED THOUGHTS' by the station Sergeant and the Superintendent in charge of the division."We where once told that in politics it is perception rather than reality and truth that matters.Barbados has now reached a sorry state in its administration of justice because the major players have now accepted that perception is also the major factor in the dispensation of JUSTICE.That said: I sincerely hope that when Roy Morris is vindicated that he uses his position, influence and contacts within the media to ensure that ordinary Barbadians no longer suffer a similar plight simply because of reporters and journalists unbridled, reckless and relentless pursuit for a byline and the editors and companies desire for increased circulation, readers, listeners and viewership.Just to remind Roy Morris that "…the worst bite one receives is a bite from his/her own dog."Whether it was the Heat, Advocate, The Nation or The Barbados Free Press he was well and truly BITTEN…By a cross between reporters and journalists.
NOW LEAVE ROY ALONE AND LET TRUE JUSTICE TAKE ITS COURSE!!!!
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