On Sunday morning CNN’s Brian Stelter revealed information provided to him from different networks that many news anchors had met individually with Darren Wilson, the policeman who shot and killed Michael Brown:
NBC's @MLauer, ABC's @GStephanopoulos, CBS's @ScottPelley, CNN's @AndersonCooper and @DonLemon are among the anchors who've met w/ Wilson.
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) November 23, 2014
Here’s Stelter’s report:
Practically every journalist covering the death of Michael Brown would like to interview Darren Wilson, the police officer who shot and killed Brown.
In the pursuit of that interview, several high-profile television anchors have secretly met with Wilson, according to sources at several TV networks. All of the meetings were off the record, meaning the anchors could not describe what was said.
These meetings are a normal part of the TV guest booking process, but they’re significant in this case because Wilson has not been seen in public since Brown’s death in Ferguson, Missouri on August 9.
Many on Twitter thought this was inappropriate and conspiratorial which made Anderson Cooper and Don Lemon respond:
For the record, I met briefly with Darren Wilson a few days ago to see if he wanted to do an interview with me. That's standard procedure
— Anderson Cooper (@andersoncooper) November 23, 2014
I'd also like to intv the grand jury. There is no conspiracy here. Reporters want to intv people and sometimes you have to meet them first
— Anderson Cooper (@andersoncooper) November 23, 2014
For those asking, yes I met with Darren Wilson regarding an interview. Not out of the ordinary. @CNNTonight @brianstelter
— Don Lemon (@donlemon) November 23, 2014
We've interviewed the Brown family, Dorian Johnson & all witnesses. Of course we'd want to interview Wilson. @CNNTonight @brianstelter
— Don Lemon (@donlemon) November 23, 2014
Because so many Ferguson protesters love to believe that the entire universe is in one big racist conspiracy against them, they’ll spin this normal interview process into something evil. That’s what a victim mentality does to you….