Post by CarolinaCutie on May 19, 2003 12:19:26 GMT -4
Radio Station Employee Sentenced in Prank
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - A disc jockey involved in an April Fools' Day prank that turned into a near riot was found guilty Friday of disorderly conduct.
Troy Shannon Brimmer of WXKJ-FM falsely told listeners that rapper Eminem would make an unscheduled stop in Chattanooga on April 1.
Hundreds of people turned out expecting to hear the artist, only to find someone dressed in an M&M candy suit.
Brimmer received a suspended sentence of 30 days in jail and 10 days of community service from Judge Michael Carter of Hamilton County General Sessions Court.
Andrew "Riggs" Riggle, a disc jockey also charged in the incident, was found not guilty.
Defense attorney Arvin Reingold said he plans to appeal the judge's ruling.
"It's a violation of the constitutional right to free speech," Reingold said. "All media should feel threatened as a result of this ruling."
Several police cars were dispatched to break up the April 1 melee and protect the disc jockeys, authorities said. When Brimmer and Riggle were placed in a police car, the crowd surrounded the car and began beating on the windows.
Carter said the prank amounted to screaming "fire" in a crowded theater.
According to a police report, Capt. Skip Vaughn called radio station officials and asked them to stop broadcasting the announcement, but they did not.
Now see, this was juss plain stoooopid of the DJ's to do somethin' like this. I know that they meant for the prank to be all in fun, but they should've known that someone of Em's status would draw a huge crowd of his fans. And they also should've known that once the fans found out that the report was false, they were gonna be some pissed off peeps. Hopefully, these dumb DJ's have learned their lesson--smh. (LOL about the M&M character though!) ;D
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - A disc jockey involved in an April Fools' Day prank that turned into a near riot was found guilty Friday of disorderly conduct.
Troy Shannon Brimmer of WXKJ-FM falsely told listeners that rapper Eminem would make an unscheduled stop in Chattanooga on April 1.
Hundreds of people turned out expecting to hear the artist, only to find someone dressed in an M&M candy suit.
Brimmer received a suspended sentence of 30 days in jail and 10 days of community service from Judge Michael Carter of Hamilton County General Sessions Court.
Andrew "Riggs" Riggle, a disc jockey also charged in the incident, was found not guilty.
Defense attorney Arvin Reingold said he plans to appeal the judge's ruling.
"It's a violation of the constitutional right to free speech," Reingold said. "All media should feel threatened as a result of this ruling."
Several police cars were dispatched to break up the April 1 melee and protect the disc jockeys, authorities said. When Brimmer and Riggle were placed in a police car, the crowd surrounded the car and began beating on the windows.
Carter said the prank amounted to screaming "fire" in a crowded theater.
According to a police report, Capt. Skip Vaughn called radio station officials and asked them to stop broadcasting the announcement, but they did not.
Now see, this was juss plain stoooopid of the DJ's to do somethin' like this. I know that they meant for the prank to be all in fun, but they should've known that someone of Em's status would draw a huge crowd of his fans. And they also should've known that once the fans found out that the report was false, they were gonna be some pissed off peeps. Hopefully, these dumb DJ's have learned their lesson--smh. (LOL about the M&M character though!) ;D
See you know it had to be a man(no offense to men outthere) but some guys just don't think with the bigger brain!!!1
I got to get it, u won't forget it, kiss you unda ya navel, I'll go where she won't go.