Front Page  »  

EXCLUSIVE: Alleged junkyard shooter of four is son of murdered SLO woman

March 20, 2008

Lee Isaac Bedwell Leeds, arrested this week for the shooting deaths of four people at a junk yard in Santa Maria, is the 31-year old son of Sharon Ostman, a homeless woman murdered in downtown San Luis Obispo.

Ostman’s half-naked body was found partially submerged in San Luis Obispo Creek July 11, 2005. She had been beaten, sexually assaulted, and murdered. She was 59.

Leeds reportedly shot and killed four men, including his father, Robert Leeds, at 4 p.m. at his father’s Black Road Auto junkyard in Santa Maria on the same day a judge was deciding if freddie Lewis should be tried for the murder of the younger Leeds’ mother.

On Wednesday, Judge Michael Duffy found there was enough evidence to move forward with the case against Lewis.

When Robert Leeds was interviewed in 2005 by a reporter now with UncoveredSLO.com regarding the Ostman murder, he lamented over the effect Ostman’s murder would have on their four children. He also claimed Ostman and two of their children suffered from schizophrenia.

Then an instructor at Hancock College, the elder Leeds expressed frustration at not being able to compel the mentally ill to undergo treatment if they have not been found to be a danger to themselves or others.

Tags:None


Loading...
Subjects:         
Related:


12 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

By: Anonymous on 3/30/08 [Delete]

Thanks Paso Guy for making my point for me! And thanks for living in Paso with the rest of the cult members. 8 years of your way = 10 Trillion dollars in debt! Proves your way doesn't work.


By: Anonymous on 3/28/08 [Delete]

What the heck is not good about patchouli oil, recycling, gardening and Bob Marley?


If you have a better plan, I haven't heard it.


By: Anonymous on 3/28/08 [Delete]

The newspaper industry has experienced the worst drop in advertising revenue in more than 50 years.


According to new data released by the Newspaper Association of America, total print advertising revenue in 2007 plunged 9.4% to $42 billion compared to 2006 — the most severe percent decline since the association started measuring advertising expenditures in 1950.


The drop-off points to an economic slowdown on top of the secular challenges faced by the industry. The second worst decline in advertising revenue occurred in 2001 when it fell 9.0%.


Total advertising revenue in 2007 — including online revenue — decreased 7.9% to $45.3 billion compared to the prior year.


There are signs that online revenue is beginning to slow as well. Internet ad revenue in 2007 grew 18.8% to $3.2 billion compared to 2006. In 2006, online ad revenue had soared 31.4% to $2.6 billion. In 2005, it jumped 31.4% to $2 billion.


As newspaper Web sites generate more advertising revenue, the growth rate naturally slows.


By: Anonymous on 3/28/08 [Delete]

to:TO FIXED NOISE


"clap clap clap"


By: Anonymous on 3/28/08 [Delete]

We all know that if Wal Mart sold hemp products and glass meth pipes you throw back hippies would be first in line to buy there.


So go lube up your 1976 Volvo, treat the leather on your Birkenstock sandles, dab on your patchouli oil, while you carry your cloth grocery sack to the community garden while puffing on your medical marijuana listening to Bob Marley on your recycled IPOD!


psssst? FYI…the 60's are over!


By: Anonymous on 3/27/08 [Delete]

Yeah, the vast majority of consumers shop at Wal-Mart and eat at McDonalds. That doesn't make them good.


By: Anonymous on 3/27/08 [Delete]

How does FOX NEWS dominate in every catagory cable news??

The “O’rielly Factor” once again was the #1 cable news show and beat the rest by more than MSNBC, CNN and the rest COMBINED!

You lefty loons may not like Fox News…But the vast majority of news consumers do.

Get your head out of the sand! There is a world happening and you are not a part of it!


By: Anonymous on 3/27/08 [Delete]

"There is more to life than Rush, Hannity. and Fox news."


No, there really isn't.


0

By: Anonymous on 3/25/08 [Delete]

Yo Woody its only a conspiracy if its not true! I listen to Congalton every day he always goes out of his way to get as many facts as he can! Maybe you shuold try this too. There is more to life than Rush, Hannity. and Fox news.


By: Anonymous on 3/25/08 [Delete]

I sure hope Congalton is paying UncoveredSLO for all this free publicity you wack-offs are giving him. I haven't heard this many conspiracy theories since 9-11.


By: Anonymous on 3/25/08 [Delete]

Hey paperboy, read the papers. The family said that Lee was mentally ill 3 days ago.


By: Anonymous on 3/25/08 [Delete]

Congalton lashed out at the KSBY woman reporter so quickly, there is probably some history between Congalton and KSBY that we don't know about.


By: Anonymous on 3/24/08 [Delete]

I agree with the posts that state we should support all local media. There is room for everyone and everyone brings something different to the table. Sadly, the Tribune and KSBY have experienced cuts in their news operations and they aren't as effective as they use to be, but they still provide an important voice in our community. I find Congalton's attack on KSBY inappropriate and nieve. Although KSBY doesn't provide "investigative" news, they do cover the daily breaking news well and they would have been "on top" of a local four person murder, which they had been covering since the tragic story broke. I do find it puzzling that UncoveredSLO wanted to brag of an "exclusive" story…doesn't that make them sort of mainstream?


By: Anonymous on 3/24/08 [Delete]


By: Anonymous on 3/24/08 [Delete]

So the interview with the father was while Karen was at New Times? Was that a copyrighted story? If it is, NT maybe could cause some trouble for USLO.

I see a lot of jumping to conclusions all over the place here. The implication is that the kid who killed his father is mentally ill too, while it's probably true, that hasn't been shown yet to my knowledge.

Last I heard the guy was refusing to talk to police at all. I'd say that shows he's pretty smart and not necessarily mentally ill. Until police come up with a motive for this senseless act or some doctor or relative goes on record with a medical history, any talk about mental illness is pure speculation.

The KSBY scoop angle is interesting, but putting together a news story for the 5 o'clock news takes hours to do. Was there enough time for the reporter and producer and cameraman to research the information, write the story, shoot film and edit in the time USLO posted this and airtime at KSBY? I doubt it.

Actually, any newspaper or TV station with integrity doesn't need to say they have an 'exclusive.' That's a sign of insecurity at best and big ego at worst.

I agree with Dave C. As someone who spent a long time at the T-T I'd have to agree that the best reporters are gone from there. Danna, Dave, Ann, Ken, Carol, Jerry, Jeff B., Silas and others were very good.

What's left at the Trib is not up to those standards, and I mean from the editor's desk on down they are not as good.

Actually one of the best reporters/writers/photogs they have is Jay Thompson, and he disappeared into the copy desk years ago.

The reporters over there work hard and do good work but not much exceptional work is coming from this bunch these days.

I blame it on the management. They pushed the experienced reporters out in favor of hiring young, inexperienced people who would work cheap. It was a form of cost cutting without making actual budget cuts or layoffs.

The Trib today reflects the personality and abilities of the people in charge. They are literally, control freaks. They insist on knowing what every reporter is working on at all times and then they decide — before any actual reporting has been accomplished — whether you can pursue a story.

I didn't work that way and fell afoul of the managing editor because of it. Problem was, I'd get these wild ideas about stories or hear some tip from someone who was maybe not so reliable and wait to tell anyone about it until I had better a handle on what it was all about or if it was even true.

Lots of times I turned in great stories, plus pictures, and would get chewed out for it because I didn't tell them about it first, so they could give the Ok to do the story.

I actually got written up for doing this on a day when I had the front page lead story and the B-section front page story plus a photo. None of the reporters are photographers anymore either, except for Kathy Tanner, who I feel is the best all-around reporter they have right now. She has Cambria absolutely wired.

But don't blame the Tribune reporters for what looks like incompetence blame the people at the top who are such control freaks that they stifle any creativity or enterprise reporting from their writers.

And nothing will ever change until the Publisher, Exec. Editor, M.E., City Editor and ACE's are all replaced with people who are aggressive and understand that creative people need space and some freedom to excel.


0


By: Anonymous on 3/24/08 [Delete]

He could have apologized 3 days sooner when he found out he was dead wrong! Too prideful…


By: Anonymous on 3/24/08 [Delete]

Well put Dave Congalton. You certainly can't do much more than that.


By: Anonymous on 3/24/08 [Delete]

Dave Congalton: Well put. Thank you.


By: Anonymous on 3/24/08 [Delete]

This thread suggests one thing: Our world, bloggers and commentators included, needs considerably less "passion" and significantly more compassion.


David


By: Anonymous on 3/24/08 [Delete]

When is the next story coming? This blog got turned into a Congalton Bash by a couple of people with an axe to grind. Probably someone that got exposed on his talk show. Too bad this story didn't go some place else like getting help for the mentally ill. Oh well, even the best intentions go a stray.


By: Anonymous on 3/24/08 [Delete]

When his apology was posted on his own blog…this was Dave Congalton's response…

*****

Comment deleted

This post has been removed by the blog administrator.

8:51 AM

***************


So much for supporting free speech and honesty.

Congalton has an agenda! Beware! He has an agenda and it ain't an honest one!

Thanks to this site we can keep the truth coming even if he deletes it off his own blog.

For that this site ROCKS!


By: Anonymous on 3/24/08 [Delete]

Probably a backhanded apology at best, but it should be good enough for most. The reporter(Melissa Mecija)

he demanded to be suspended and KSBY news have the final say.

Here's some advice to those who don't agree with the KVEC Congalton left tilted show, don't listen.


By: Anonymous on 3/24/08 [Delete]

Humble pie is the best medicine for those that take themselves way too seriously!

Dave, you waited way too long to apologize…you even changed your topic post to eliminate the attack. That was irresponsible at it's very lowest.

We, who care about news…ALL NEWS…want this demagoguery to stop.

Support who you want but tearing down other news sources because they don't serve your personal agenda is irresponsible at best.

You seem to have only 2 speeds. 1) Hate 2) irresponsible support.

Look to find balance Dave. If you represent your program as "Home Town" radio you best be looking out for ALL your constituents! ALL!

Rethink your agenda driven vitriol and look to how you can support all sectors of the central coast.


Dave & Karen, distance yourself from this demagogue! He only discredits your site with his irresponsible support. Stand on your own 4 feet and do your work. We will be the judges of your work. Remember us? “We the people”? Pay attention to use rather than special interests driven by personal agendas.


0

By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

I have watched the thread of this original post by Karen turn into something from the Twilight Zone. I honestly don't know whether to laugh or cringe at some of these comments. The Internet can be such a wonderful tool, but the downside is the anonymous nature of the comments which tends to foster hate and diviseness that we don't encounter in traditional media.


I think I am the #1 fan of this site and I have championed Dan and Karen since the beginning. There is no ulterior motive here, folks. I'm not out to get anyone or any other paper; I do not benefit financially.


But I've been in the local media for 19 years and I remember journalists like Dave Wilcox, Danna Dykstra, Colleen Bondy, Jeff McMahon and the late, great Ann Fairbanks. They were the best. God, they were good.


Somewhere along the way, local media (including me) went soft and the community has suffered. The reporting just isn't the same.


That's why Dan and Karen are so important–they represent what journalism used to do in this town before the corporate takeover and the dumbing down. I want them to succeed.


Looking back on the events of the last 72 hours, perhaps I want them to succeed a little too much. In my exchanges with the good folks at KSBY, it's clear that they had been working on the Sharon Ostman story just as Karen was. Their story was based solely on original reporting. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Karen's is more detailed, but that in no way diminishes the KSBY story.


So I offer a heartfelt mea culpa and apologize to all the folks in the newsroom at KSBY who offer up the news day after day — I was wrong to assume otherwise in this case. Sometimes my passion gets in the way. It's happened before. No doubt it will happen again. Unlike some of the anonymous posters here, I can admit to my mistakes.


One other thing. If you have a favorite TV or newspaper reporter locally, try and support him or her. They may not be around in another year as the budget cuts continue.


So that's all I choose to say on this subject. I'm done with this thread. Let's see what Karen and Dan come up with next. They really do need our support.


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

You are such a frigging moron! Dave never attacked the Trib. Don't you know the difference between a TV station and a newspaper. This is what happens when cousins are allowed to breed!


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

Living in denial…

So very sad. He must have taken lessons from Bubba.


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

Apologize for what?


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

Get a life? It's Easter and you are talking about us talking about you! Who needs a life? lol

We are still waiting for your apology to the Trib for attacking them wrongly!

Man up Dave…Man up!

Or pussy out and try to change the subject like always.

You did this now fix it and be a man and apologize…but mean it! No tongue in cheek crap like usual!


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

Most of you morons would even know about this site if it wasn't for Dave telling us about it on the radio. Talk about shooting the messenger!


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

To the idiot that thinks KSBY is a newspaper. Oh yeah and thinks Dave wants them to publish his work. I agree with Jordan. Jibberish should be deleted. Don't waste our time on things that you don't have a clue about. For starters check out who KSBY is.


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

Listen. All of you. You really need to get a life. C'mon, it's Easter and you're spending it talking about . . .ME! Thank you, but, please. Get a life.


Yes, you've figured it out. The only reason I support Dan and Karen is that I hate the Tribune.


Yes, you've figured it out. The only reason I'm doing this is so I have a "back door strategy." That's right: I'm going to jump from a full-time job with benefits to a web site whose main advertiser is a cigar in a wine bottle.


Yes, you've figured it out. My real name is Barack Congalton.


You're all too damn smart for me.


Meanwhile, I'll issue a statement about KSBY tonight. Stay tuned!


0

By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

Jordon…Dave agrees with you! Thats why he censors comments on his blog.

Seems you both hate the truth


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

Have you people lost your minds? Dave has a TALK SHOW. Get it? A TALK SHOW.. Its not about the news, its not about being a reporter, its about talk and contraversy. If I'm not mistaking he also has a book that is currently being made into a movie. Did it ever cross anyones mind that maybe he just so happens to like these people here because he agrees with their philosphy and appreiates the topics and investigations? The newspapers and KSBY are by no means in a compeditve league with Dave. He has his own niche.Stop the ignorance. If this was my site I would delete some of this foolish jibberish.


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

"Sounds like Congalton has a axe to grind with KSBY for whatever reason."

His axe is that they have refused to publish his work for decades, denying him the legitimacy of that respected paper.

If have more but let's stop here and digest this profound truth.

So he slams the Trib on behalf of this site run by his friends.

It couldn't smell any worse!

This is bad for this site and for the community. We will not be duped!

Dave needs to apologize to end this. tic tic tic…we are waiting…Mr Barack Congalton!


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

KSBY lifts stories from this site and reports them as their own. Just look what they did with the Atascadero FEMA fraud. KSBY needs to apologize and give credit where its due.


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

We all know that King Harris reads the Trib on his morning "news" show and I don't hear the Trib bitching and moaning about stories being lifted. Sounds like Congalton has a axe to grind with KSBY for whatever reason.


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

I like Dave Congalton.


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

Dave needs to apologize to the KSBY reporter and end this thing.


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

OMG, Dave Congalton is a "radical lefty socialist"?


Ha! You're busting me up!


I guess it proves you're listening to KVEC in the mornings. Too bad you don't realize that stuff's not real. It's entertainment, my friend. Entertainment!


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

RIGHT ON CINDY

This guy calling himself "hypocrire warning" is obviously threatened by truth.


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

Hyppocrite Warning,


Thank you for continuing to post my name in print and devote so much energy to talking about me. I love it. I can't thank you enough. Happy Easter to you and your family.


By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

Karen and Dan do excellent work. Dave's show is more popular than ever and he has a wide range of callers. They are all making a difference. KVEC and uncovered choose a wide range of issues that effect the public.They are always fair, balanced and factual.I've never seen a spin on the facts. If that is left then I guess I know what "The right" is. It takes all kinds (even people like the hypocrite warning poster). I'll place my support along with my name right here.Keep up the great work Dave your number 1 and everyone knows it. In time I have no doubt that uncoveredSLO will be the same.


0

By: Anonymous on 3/23/08 [Delete]

Dave Congalton said:

"So if you want to take anonymous, chickenshit shots at me, go right ahead"


Well Dave, as with all radical lefty socialists you want it both ways.


First, you took a "chicken shit" cheap shot at the Trib on your own blog and then removed it when you found out, that once again, you were wrong! That is hypocrisy!


Second: This site doesn't “CENSOR" comments as you do on your blog (which again is hypocrisy). What pisses you off is that you can't control comments here and that makes you crazy!


Third: It is clear that some have an opinion about the quality of reporting here, but it is clear to those unbiased readers that there is "No Exclusive" for this site, as stated here by the Trib reporter…which also makes you crazy.


We all know that this site is your back-door plan when KVEC wakes up and cancels your show. Your radical slant to the left has destroyed whatever credibility you had. So all you have now are shows with the same callers everyday and your wacko-nut Santa Maria bill that is hated by both sides.


Face it. You have lost your way. Lost your focus and lost your wide reach into the audience. That's why you advertise here to get them in your debt as a back door plan.


Do you really think we are that stupid to not see what is going on here? You have always under estimated your audience even though many warned you not to.

So be it…


Almost 85% of the posts on your blog are anonymous because not one of us wants the hateful backlash from your lefty loon friends. You made your bed…enjoy it!


By: Anonymous on 3/22/08 [Delete]

I would just llike to thank all the Anonymous posters who have made the effort to turn this thread into a discussion . . . .about ME! Thank you very much. I can't see my name in print enough, especially from those of you unwilling to put a name to a personal attack.


In terms of KSBY vs. UncoveredSLO, nothing changes here, folks. KAREN VELIE POSTED THE STORY FIRST. She had the exclusive. Karen is also the only one who had a chance to interview the father. Hers is the superior story on every level.


So if you want to take anonymous, chickenshit shots at me, go right ahead. I don't care. But don't confuse your hatred of me with disrespect for the hard work Karen and Dan do every week here.


They're already making a difference in the community. What have you done lately?


By: Anonymous on 3/22/08 [Delete]

I love the smell of Old Spice, Bushmills, and righteous fear at the Trib.


By: Anonymous on 3/22/08 [Delete]

Congalton errased his slam of the Trib off his own blog when he found that he really did have egg on his face.


There is a very unhealthy connection between congalton and this site…KVEC advertising here is a huge clue and a big mistake!


It's like supporting Obama before you found out he really is a black militant racist!


KVEC should have waited till this site was fully vetted.


tsk tsk tsk


By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

I haven't seen any hand slapping or any egg flying. Nice try. Good story Karen.


By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

Hand slapped for what, being the first to break a story or having an excusive on the pre death interview with the father?


By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

The truth comes out and USLO gets their hands slapped and Congalton get a face full of home town egg!

So be it…

Move on!


By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

When reading the murder story Karen wrote about Sharon in 2005 I saw another one she wrote in 2005 about Rachael. The web site you created for her is excellent and I can see that you care about what really happend to her. It's rather obvious that her husband most likely murdered her. Why don' you kick start that investigation again? Show the local law enforcement what a real investigator can do. Her case is a murder not a suicide. Also in the six feet under episode that the husband talks about. He is full of it and caught lying. The woman didn't walk into the waves she was murdered and left in a lake.


0

By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

There is a Good Old Boy that is really threatend by Dave Congalton and uncoveredSLO. This is very good news…

Hey Dan, Karen and Dave, thanks for keeping them on their toes. You need more covereage here. You will become the number 1 news source in the county. Just give it more time.


By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

I agree with Carol Anne.


By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

Whom ever called this site "second rate" is an envious compeditor. This site breaks stories that the other papers don't have a clue about. This paper is honest and doesn't cater to advertisers and politians.


By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

Melissa,

I would hope that you didn't call this story your exclusive because that wouldn't have been true. What's exclusive is Karen's interview with Robert Leeds and how he felt that the murder of Sharon would effect his children and his concerns about untreated mental illness in the family. It is also quite a coincidence that Lee shot these people on the day that his mothers murderer was being brought to trial. I do agree about the difference between on line reporting and TV journalism. We can get the story on line right away. I'm not sure if I believe you or not. KSBY did the same thing with the FEMA story and there in no denying that.


By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

I suppose that they got the Atascadero FEMA fraud story on their own too? I know they stole it from this site.I know that for a fact.


By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

I am the reporter who did the story on KSBY. We actually received a tip about the Ostman/Leeds connection

Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday morning, I pored through the case files at

the Santa Barbara County courthouse in Santa Maria–more than 100 pages of

court documents–regarding the Leeds family. I had the story confirmed

several hours before uncoveredslo.com posted their story.


I always independently review my information and have copies of the Leeds

paperwork I accessed at the courthouse. I agree that uncoveredslo.com is

doing some good journalism. However, I confirmed the information without the

use of any other media sources.


I understand why there would be confusion regarding the source of my

information. Online versus TV journalism have different deadlines. Our

earliest afternoon show airs at 5 p.m., so we are unable to air a story

earlier.


While we were not even aware of the uncoveredslo.com story until after our

stories aired at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., we chose not to brand our story as

"exclusive" because we could not verify that was true. I believe this

situation clearly demonstrates the dangers of jumping to conclusions.


Melissa Mecija

Santa Maria Bureau Chief

KSBY-TV


By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

To the person calling Congalton a "SCAM". You obviously think that home town is about the "Good Ole Boys"(just look at your post). The times "they are a changing". You bet your bippie.


0

By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

So many things to discuss here…

First this revealing comment by Dave:

"So, for example, King Harris will read a story on the morning news"

Why pay someone to READ the news that we can get with 2 clicks? What kind of real journalistic integrity is that?


Second:

Dave has no evidence that KSBY was not working the same story as well. As always with Dave he jumps to conclusions which best fit his radical left agenda. This latest cheering for a second rate "news" website is far below anything he has ever done.


Third:

If it's "Home Town Radio"…why is the host attacking:

1) Home Town New Times

2) Home Town KSBY

3) Home Town Tribune

4) Home Town politicians


Dave and KVEC are digging a special interest hole they may never get out of!

Evidence of this is that KVEC advertises on the same site that he claims scooped the story. The same site he defends without any hard evidence at all!


As will all lefty liberal sources KVEC has been drug down with the special interest radical agenda of Mr. Dave.


Time for a change? You bet your sweet bippy!


By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

Karen is the only person who spoke indepth with the father. She never used his name in the NT story. There was no connection at all until she broke it. The fact is that KSBY does give credit to the Tribune when they take info from their stories. This is the second time they passed off a story as their own that they took from uncoveredslo. They should apologize and give credit where it's due.


By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

This story tels a story about the problems with untreated schizophrenia. The story about the mother is sad and her family was helpless to get her treatment. It sounds like Lee was one of the children with the disease. I think this will be a mitigating factor when he comes to trial.


By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

My comments stand.


And by the way, wasn't some of the information in this story published in the New Times a few years ago?


In any case, for readers to suggest that any one media outlet has an exclusive right to publish basic facts, i.e,, who is born to who, is not only incorrect, it is not healthy for the local media.


The story does not end here. We should be hoping for MORE free flowing dissemination of information, not less.


And we should hope that journalistic terms are used correctly in that pursuit and not be used to sensationalize journalistic accomplishments that stand on their own.


It is a reporter's job to draw connections between facts and share those revelations with the public. UncoveredSLO did just that. It is another good example that might encourage other local media to step up their own game. That would be good for everyone. Enough said.


David


By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

This clearly is an exclusive story. Karen spoke with the father (who is now dead). He talked about the mental illness in the family and how the murder would effect the children. He even complained about how there was no safety net to treat the mentally ill. This is very big indeed. No one else can ever get that interview.


By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

Who is this guy Ciaffardini? What do you do for a living other than complain? Karen Velie has an "exclusive" — her STORY is exclusive. She is the only reporter with this story and she filed it first. She broke the story. She made the connection between all the murders and has provided motive — long before local law enforcement. So the other media have to credit her if they use this story. They can't pretend like they broke it themselves. And who the fuck ever uses "scoop" outside Baskin-Robbins????? Geez.


0

By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

I do think the pre-death interview is an exclusive. The fathers comments on how his ex's death effected her children is huge. Also, KSBY often gives credit to the Tribune when they report on one of their stories. Why not credit Karen and Dan.


By: Anonymous on 3/21/08 [Delete]

I don't wish to seem too critical here, as I appreciate UncoveredSLO, and am happy to see competition among the local media. And I'm glad to see that Uncovered scooped the competition on this one. But let's set the record straight about the journalistic term "exclusive."


The fact that the alleged shooter is related to Ostman is a matter of public record. It is NOT an "exclusive" story, by any means. An "exclusive" implies that no other media will have or be able to have the story.


The gist of this story is the familial relationship between Leeds and Ostman, not the interview done 3 years ago. The familial relationship is public record, Judge Duffy's ruling is public record, the recent shooting is public record, the Ostman murder is public record—nothing "exclusive" about any of those things.


Scooping the competition is enough. No need to exaggerate or make false claims. But it is understandable that in the rush of scooping the competition a headline writer might get a little carried away in trying to draw attention to the fact.


I don't know how KSBY handled this, but in general there should be no shame in a competing media outlet independently confirming the facts in a story like this and then reporting on it. And if that competing outlet is good, they'll add a few facts they've uncovered for themselves.


That's what local media competition should be about and something I'd like to see more of.


But nobody has an "exclusive" regarding basic facts that are being recorded in police reports, court records and birth certificates.


But there can always be a reporter who brings these facts to light in the media first and scoops the compeition. So, congratulations UncoveredSLO for the latest scoop!


David


By: Anonymous on 3/20/08 [Delete]

KSBY should appoligize. They have no integrity. Good story Karen


By: Anonymous on 3/20/08 [Delete]

KSBY does run stories that they get from uncoveredslo as their own without giving Dan & Karen credit. I agree that it's low.


By: Anonymous on 3/20/08 [Delete]

It's a pretty sad day for local journalism when KSBY can simply lift an exclusive (which is the correct term, David Ciaffardini) from this site and pass it off as their own. The reporter should be suspended and the station should apologize.


By: Anonymous on 3/20/08 [Delete]

I read the original story that Karen wrote in the New Times. This is sad but very interesting.


By: Anonymous on 3/20/08 [Delete]

To KSBY. I know you monitor this site on a regular basis because you steal these stories. Today you got the scoop on the murder story from here and then broke the new information as if it was your own story. Thats pretty low. If your going to take this sites work at least give them credit.


By: Anonymous on 3/20/08 [Delete]

The Tribune has been weak for a long time now. This is the only investigative reporting in the county.


By: Anonymous on 3/20/08 [Delete]

Great Story. Everyone is wondering why the shooting happend. I think your the only source that has this information. I think that makes the story exclusive?


By: Anonymous on 3/20/08 [Delete]

Yeah David let's take'em out back and beat the sh*t out of 'em.


Great piece USLO, as usual. Ten steps ahead of the Trib again, though I'm sure they monitor your website and will dispatch one of their finest drooling alcoholics to cover this.


By: Anonymous on 3/20/08 [Delete]

This is a good story and might very well be a SCOOP for UncoveredSLO, but to label it an "Exclusive" is, correct me if you think I'm wrong, a mistake.


You might check the dictionary on that one.


David


0
1 2