News of the World Hacking Trial: Brooks Cleared, Coulson Guilty
Rebekah Brooks is officially off the hook. For those who might not know, or might have lost track of this story in the whirl of the spin cycle, Brooks is the former editor of Rupert Murdoch's now-defunct News of the World tabloid in the United Kingdom.
British Prime Minister David Cameron apologized Tuesday for his professional connection to former News of the World editor Andy Coulson. Latvia State Chancellery (CC-BY-SA)
Rebekah Brooks is officially off the hook. For those who might not know, or might have lost track of this story in the whirl of the spin cycle, Brooks is the former editor of Rupert Murdoch’s now-defunct News of the World tabloid in the United Kingdom.
Brooks, along with her colleague Andy Coulson, were the highest-ranking defendants of the seven former employees from News of the World who were involved in a phone-hacking trial that would have been just the kind of fodder the paper would have covered had its senior management not been directly implicated. While Brooks was cleared of all the charges she faced since the scandal erupted three years ago, Coulson didn’t fare so well.
The BBC brought news of the verdict Tuesday:
Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson has been found guilty of conspiracy to hack phones.
[…] Royals, celebrities and victims of crime were among those whose phones were hacked by the News of the World.
The paper was closed by its parent company, News International, in July 2011 after it emerged that it had instructed a private investigator to intercept — or “hack” — voicemails left on the mobile phone of murdered Surrey teenager Milly Dowler in 2002.
Police say thousands of people’s phones were targeted, and BBC legal correspondent Clive Coleman said Coulson’s conviction showed a “widespread criminal conspiracy going to a very, very senior level” at the News of the World.
British Prime Minister David Cameron was also affected, as he hired Coulson as his director of communications after Coulson left News of the World. Cameron apologized on the record, telling the BBC that hiring the former editor “was the wrong decision.”
–Posted by Kasia Anderson
WAIT, BEFORE YOU GO…If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.
Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.
Like the U.S., France and many other countries, the United Kingdom has a sordid history of the practice. We need to face up to it.
The newly minted U.K. prime minister is playing a risky game as he blows up his own majority and tries to impede Parliament from doing its job.
Politicians like Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar have a conservative agenda, yet our political press continues to label them "center-left."
The former vice president is considering a run for president in 2020, but progressives should be leery of his candidacy.
Critical questions remain unanswered, deflected by promises of an internal review.
A divisive vote, with jobs and immigrants the most combustible issues, leaving many anxious about intolerance and the violence that can stem from it. Sound familiar?
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.