Wcbs Reporter 'overzealous'
By Andrew Grossman
Monday, September 17 2001
Monday, September 17 2001
Published on AllBusiness.com
WCBS-TV insisted it was a misunderstanding after correspondent Vince DeMentri was arrested last week for allegedly impersonating a U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms officer.
According to published reports, DeMentri was originally charged with impersonating a federal agent, but CBS spokeswoman Karen Mateo said he was eventually issued only a misdemeanor summons for falsely identifying himself.
She admitted that DeMentri may have been "overzealous" in pursuit of the story as he tried to get close inside "Ground Zero," the restricted perimeter around the destroyed World Trade Center on Wednesday night.
DeMentri reportedly told a National Guardsman that he was an agent for the AFT as he was trying to enter the area.
"Mr. DeMentri expresses his regrets for this unfortunate incident," she said, adding that DeMentri might have been wearing something that identified himself as being with the ATF when he was asked for credentials he did not have. "Any other time, any other situation, they would have let it pass," she added.
According to published reports, DeMentri was originally charged with impersonating a federal agent, but CBS spokeswoman Karen Mateo said he was eventually issued only a misdemeanor summons for falsely identifying himself.
She admitted that DeMentri may have been "overzealous" in pursuit of the story as he tried to get close inside "Ground Zero," the restricted perimeter around the destroyed World Trade Center on Wednesday night.
DeMentri reportedly told a National Guardsman that he was an agent for the AFT as he was trying to enter the area.
"Mr. DeMentri expresses his regrets for this unfortunate incident," she said, adding that DeMentri might have been wearing something that identified himself as being with the ATF when he was asked for credentials he did not have. "Any other time, any other situation, they would have let it pass," she added.
