BSO: Channel 10 Ignores Key Facts in Story
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Miami’s WPLG – Channel 10 broadcast a stereotypical television news story on Friday March 21st: A sympathetic community figure shot down by a cop.
“He was well liked in the community and now they want to know why deputies were forced to shoot,” intoned the Channel 10 reporter.
Only one problem with the report about Deosaran Maharaj’ death at the hands of a Broward Sheriff’s deputy.
Maharaj was far from “well liked” by some in Pompano Beach, according to court records.
Maharaj had already been charged with attacking one man with a machete handle. Maharaj’ alleged explanation of his actions is contained in the BSO report on the incident:
“Post-Miranda, the suspect admitted to striking the victim on the head with the machete handle. The suspecte stated he is addicted to crack cocaine and was coming down from his high when this incident occurred. The suspected stated that he had smoked crack the previous night and when the victim did not show up for work in the morning, he was upset. Although he did not plan the attack, he stated that when the victim did show up during the mid-morning hours, he just snapped. The suspect stated he struck the victim only one time and returned to work. He was remorseful and stated that this incident was not typical of him.”
Maharaj was awaiting trial for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon when he was killed. He also had been charged in a separate case with stalking.
Here is the BSO news release on the shooting:
“The incident began just before 8 p.m. when a woman approached BSO Deputy Paul Yesbeck to report that a man had threatened her with a machete. She pointed out the man and his white Chevy Silverado to the deputy in the parking lot of the Marathon Gas Station at Hammondville Road and Northwest 31 Avenue. The truck then left the parking lot with no headlights on.
Deputy Yesbeck attempted a traffic stop on the truck at 8:01 p.m. in the 300 block of Northwest 31 Avenue and, a short time later, advised that shots had been fired. Homicide detectives say Maharaj ignored the deputy’s repeated commands to get on the ground and show his hands. When Majaraj instead walked to his truck and began rifling through it, the deputy was forced to fire multiple shots, at least one of which was fatal. Detectives later recovered the machete from the truck.”
Now, maybe the Channel 10 reporter didn’t know that Maharaj had a record? Not true, said a BSO source.
“PIO (Public Information Officer) actually handed (the reporter) the 2013 arrest report hours before his story ever aired,” said the source.
Is there any reason that Channel 10 should ignore the fact that Marjaraj was a cocaine addict who had been charged in the past with attacking an innocent person with a machete?
There is only one reason and a BSO source spelled it out:
“I guess the truth just didn’t fit (Channel 10s) false narrative of the incident.”
Here is the Channel 10 report.
March 25th, 2014 at 4:43 pm
Time for Bob Norman to roll up his sleeves and get to the bottom of this yarn.
And/or issue a retraction! Those are becoming second nature to him. Bet there’s a pre-printed stack on his desk.
March 25th, 2014 at 4:46 pm
BSO explanation to dispute the claim of the reporter from WPLG doesn’t make sense. In fact, Maharaj, according to the BSO was shot several times for just rifling through his truck. That’s sad indeed!!!
FROM BUDDY:
The story never mentioned he was just rifling through his truck.
The story did mention there was a machete in the front seat of the suspect’s truck.
But it did not mention the suspect had a past record. BSO believes that type of reporting is unfair. When I was an editor, I would have required that fact to be in the story.
March 25th, 2014 at 5:59 pm
Here we go again. There is not one report Bob Norman puts out that seems to be worth believing. We see it time and time again. Why would any viewer listen to him or any person want to give him an interview if that is the kind of product he produces? Did I mention that Bob Norman is a lying boob?
March 25th, 2014 at 9:01 pm
BOTH Bob Norman and his wife Brittney Wallman at the Sun-Sentinel are horrible writers and don’t even know the real meaning of journalism. They “tag-team” the same stories and never research to find out the real answers. The believe in slander, taint and progessing their career by any means necessary!
March 25th, 2014 at 10:11 pm
It seems that Robert Norman is continuing his agenda with this agency. By reporting repeatedly slanted facts or downright ommitting them. He is not a journalist and his M.O. of knowingly reporting half baked stories first and then retracting them AFTER the misinformation is intentionally spread is slander by design. Channel 10 news will be the next boycotted news organization in my house just like the Sentinal.
March 26th, 2014 at 12:20 am
It amazes me that BSO gets caught doing things questionable or gets caught in lie after lie (Sheriff) and they put out the Gunzberger Bugle Report which is totally one sided, they put out one side in the Florida Clarion, they put out one side in the South Florida at that’s all okay cause the Sheriff’s people do it, but Bob Norman, Broward Beat and Sun Sentinel always get calls or rebuttals to cover the Sheriff. You know that true Buddy. I know for a fact the Sheriff or his people have called you directly about things they didn’t like in your articles. Is everyone in journalism lying or are people upset because info got reported they wanted to keep on the raps. I don’t wish anyone in uniform ever have to shoot anyone, but when it happens and is reported put out the facts up front then you don’t have to attack reporters that ended up getting the facts without you. Insiders say the Sheriff was freakin out because it involved Pompano and was in total damage control mode and that’s why he demanded to be on tv and did the press release. Bad move!!!!
March 26th, 2014 at 12:31 am
Just look at the Sheriff’s record for getting caught in lies with taking freebies and Found GUILTY OF ETHICS VIOLATIONS by a State Ethics Commission. Doesn’t that say it all…..
March 26th, 2014 at 8:18 am
@6. I have resisted the Norman bashing for some time thinking it was just sour grapes but now I see there’s much more to it. When I saw Norman’s report about the coconut man it made me angry that he had to be shot.
Norman portrayed the coconut man a a neighborhood angel senselessly killed by a BSO deputy.
Buddy now reports that Norman had police reports showing this man was not an angel. He had attacked someone not so long ago with a machete and I am told then blamed that attack on having smoked crack.
He was armed with a machete when he was killed.
I did not get those facts from the Norman story. I now feel lied to and angry about it. Norman deprived me of those facts yet Buddy says he had that information. How can I process that except that Norman intentionally decided not to share those facts with his viewers.
Are we toys for Bob Norman to play with? This makes me very angry.
March 26th, 2014 at 10:26 am
@7 The Barbara Sharief piece Bob Norman did is a perfect example of his untruthful and unprofessional reporting.
In the piece he did about a state audit of her business records, which was ultimately settled amicably, he used phony FBI footage of agents crashing into a business to get documents.
Thing is the FBI never entered Sharief’s business. He invented that angle to the story and used the footage in a phony way.
It was untrughful and he knew it that even that didn’t stop him from telling the lie intentionally. He didn’t care what the truth was. He had a malicious story to tell and inconveniences like the truth were not going to stand in his way.
Understandably, Sharief hired a lawyer to defend against herself against that lie. Channel 10 was forced to issued an apology and retraction. But they have failed to correct Bob Norman’s unprofessional ways. Possibly they profit from that behavior which makes them unprofessional as well. Hopefully someone will sue their ass so that their lies will stop.
Whatever else may be going on with Sherief, Bob Norman remains a liar for inventing facts in connection with that and other stories that he airs for which his employer has been forced to apologize and retract his statements over and over again.
It is unethical of Channel 10 to keep him employed there. For us the viewers, cannot tell when Bob Norman is lying to us. He has lost all credibility and Channel 10 with him.
Warren Buffet? Are you listening? You have a lying clown reporter at the TV station you just bought. Are you a liar also?
March 26th, 2014 at 11:14 am
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
March 26th, 2014 at 11:39 am
If Chaz Stevens thinks Bob Norman is not living up to reporting standards that’s saying something. The real kicker is Stevens appears to be right. Check out link:
http://www.browardbugle.net/feature.php?id=134&c=1
March 26th, 2014 at 1:29 pm
Interesting that Andrew Miller and Roger Stone are so interested in Bob Norman….
March 26th, 2014 at 6:39 pm
Channel 10 didn’t give us both sides of the story. Why not?
March 26th, 2014 at 10:06 pm
Oh did I forget to mention that Bob Norman is a big fat liar?
March 27th, 2014 at 5:43 pm
@Retraction
why not post under your name Andrew Miller, the writer of the Broward Bugle?
March 28th, 2014 at 9:45 am
Just because he had a checkered past he deserves to be shot? Come on Scott don’t you believe in giving folks another shot? Or is this what you mean?
March 28th, 2014 at 7:55 pm
The real story here is Pompano Beach. Its always Pompano Beach. Crime is out of control. You have BSO who are trigger happy in plain English. Pompano Beach residents get your own police dept. back. You are spending millions on a worthless contract w/ BSO. I own a business there and I hear from the residents how bad its there. You have a mayor (Lamar Fisher) who’s only concern is to buy property and make money @ your expense. I can’t tell you enough how disgusted the residents are w/ this mayor. Oh yeah he thinks he’s Donald Trump w/out the hair. Oh he’s sharper than a ginsue knife w/ your monies people. Your going down Lamar(Fisher parking only huh). Again boot BSO and Fisher….
March 29th, 2014 at 11:07 pm
Robert Walsh sounds retarded.
March 30th, 2014 at 7:11 pm
No truer four words could be said