Opening arguments in Strange trial

September 17, 2009

Opening arguments started this afternoon in the trial of Jennifer Strange. (scroll below for video of the Strange story from Broadcast Blues.)   The attorney for the William Strange family, Roger Dreyer, began in the late afternoon to lay out his case against 1) Entercom Sacramento, 2) John Geary, market manager for Entercom Sacramento, and 3) the parent company, Entercom LLC, based in Bala Cynwyd, PA.

Dreyer showed the corporate structure of Entercom to the jury, half men, half women. He pointed out that there were specific guidelines provided by the parent company to subsidiaries regarding contests. One guideline specifically banned contests that were dangerous. Entercom CEO David Field, in a videotaped deposition, admitted that, "Ms. Strange would not have died had this contest not occurred." But, foreshadowing the defense argument, he also said that the people working at the local affiliate KDND had not brought the contest to the parent company's legal division."

But Dreyer already is making the argument that KDND promotion manager Robin Pechota and Entercom parent company attorney Camela Masi had a working relationship which permitted Pechota to use her own judgment about contests.

Opening arguments continue 9:00 AM Friday.

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