Media

Major Network Meteorologist Suspended for False Rape Claim

Posted on December 15, 2010 at 2:58pm by Jonathon M. Seidl
Print »
Email »

NEW YORK (AP) — A meteorologist on ABC’s local New York station was suspended Wednesday after police said she made up claims she was assaulted in Central Park.

Heidi Jones of WABC-TV told police Nov. 24 that a man had tried to rape her a month earlier as she ran in Central Park. She said the same person harassed her outside her apartment Nov. 21 at 7:50 a.m.

Police investigated, speaking to possible witnesses and canvassing the area for a person matching description she gave of her alleged attacker. Police said Jones admitted fabricating the story when investigators went back to her to discuss the case.

She was given a desk appearance ticket for false reporting, which is akin to a traffic violation and does not require the suspect be taken into custody. The charge is a misdemeanor and she was scheduled to appear in court Jan. 15. If convicted, she could face a year in prison and fines.

Jones’ attorney, Paul Callan, told The Associated Press that his client would plead not guilty to any charges.

“Ms. Jones has had a distinguished career as a broadcast journalist and urges all concerned to refrain from jumping to conclusions about the unproven charges against her being discussed in the press,” Callan said.

Jones also fills in on “Good Morning America.” WABC said Wednesday that Jones has been suspended pending an internal investigation. She worked previously in Billings, Mont., and Houston and has been with WABC for about five years.

She has a blog centered on running, where she talks about her love of the sport and her time spent running in Central Park and other locations. Her motto, according to the site, is “if you knew you wouldn’t fail, what would you try?”

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (59)

mitcha_ca_sux
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 9:04pm
The reason she pulled this stunt? We are all talking about her arent we…
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
BruceB
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 8:10pm
URKiddinMee: No matter what is said, Harry Reid is a MINO. Mormon In Name Only
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
bigdaddybernie
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 7:56pm
I saw her recently and she’s seriously WACKO……..too bad she tried to take some innocent guy with her.
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
Jeremie Step
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 7:45pm
Why is this woman not in jail for falsifying a police report. Of course, a woman who makes up a rape allegation will not be punished nearly as much as the guy accused of the rape. He will carry the burden of the accusation wherever he goes, even though he was innocent. Imagine what those boys in the Duke rape case deal with. I suppose Justice caught up with the accuser in that case, because she’s in jail for Armed Robbery.
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
RightPolitically
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 7:18pm
Waz up wit dat?
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
ChiefGeorge
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 6:46pm
Has anybody asked the serious question as to why she lied about such a thing in the first place? If I was to take an experienced SWAG at it I would say it had something to do with getting some attention on the job and maybe some kind of public sympathy that she would later parlay into some kind of forward motion in her own career. Just a SWAG thats all.
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
ProudTeaPartyMember
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 6:27pm
Suspended? Probably with pay… she should be FIRED.
The creep.
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- stogieguy7
  Posted on December 17, 2010 at 10:51am
  Don’t worry, she’s damaged goods now. She’s gone from WABC; the “internal investigation” will be comprised of preparing a case to fire her without being in breach of contract or getting sued for violating employment law.
  Report Post »
Bill Wallace
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 6:07pm
The pendulum has swung way too far.

Rape is terrible. It is lifelong and devestating.
So are the punishments for it. Even the accusation of rape is lifelong and devestating. You get treated as guilty immediately. Friends leave you. Society hates you. THe cost to defend yourself is high.

And if you are guilty, those feelings are entirely correct and warranted.

But if you are innocent, and some lady thought that 15 minutes of fame is worth accusing a college team, or even a single person, the repercussions for a false claim should fit the damage it causes.
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
Woody WoodBecker
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 5:51pm
People need to stop believing that just because someone is on TV, they are credible, honest, intelligent and normal.

Television news is mostly corrupt and the people in it have proven it over and over again with phony stories, blatant lies, cover ups and craziness. This falls under the craziness category.

I bet she lied about the weather too. How many times have worn a raincoat and didn’t need it or wore a sweater for it to heat up to 80 degrees? Some metereologist she is.
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
URKiddinMee
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 5:50pm
A “Drive-By Media’ person telling a lie?!
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
mikenleeds
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 5:08pm
Lol she works for abc ,, does anyone every tell the truth on that network?? They are all lying scum
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
DevotedDad
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 4:49pm
For the past 12 years, I have gone to numerous court hearing and have taken phone calls from fathers from all over the United States who have been stripped of all access to their children based upon false allegations of domestic violence, rape, and sexual abuse.

Many of these fathers have also been jailed, lost their jobs, and have been shunned by their communities.

I would like to know where is the outrage from the woman’s rights organizations like NOW towards this woman who casually cried rapef or the simple sake of gaining attention.

She needs to be fired and forced to pay the NYPD for all the man hours that they spent trying to find a phantom perpetrator.
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
Gonzo
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 4:33pm
Ben Roethlisberger can sleep easy tonight,
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
bertr
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 4:03pm
She should be imprisoned for at LEAST as long as the person she falsely accused would had they been convicted. Trying to get someone falsely imprisioned is dispicable and shouldnt be let off lightly
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- Republic Under God
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 5:11pm
  Dude I was just about to post this point when I saw yours. So here goes my my vote for that. It is unfortunate that rape is actually hard to prove. The physical evidence may be nothing more than evidence of a kinky sexual relationship. It comes down to whether or not you believe the victim.
  
  Well this should be a deterent for frivilous sex (if STDs aren’t enough – though Check out old rollingstones article on “bug chasers”). Sex is an intimate act for a reason. We open ourselves up to a NUMBER of things when we have sex with someone. It’s why trust is so important.
  Report Post »
M 4 Colt
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:56pm
She will blame it on her meds, you know being a meteorologist is a hard job with lots of pressure getting the forecast right each day.
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
catndahat
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:50pm
Now I understand why the weather predictions are rarely accurate.
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
knotaclu
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:28pm
Seriously, a meteorologist not tellin the truth…. Shut up….Bwahahahahahahaha…..
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- snowleopard3200 {mix art}
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:52pm
  I once heard that a meteorologist described his job to my high school science class as “being 90% correct, 10% of the time.”
  Report Post »
mossbrain
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:22pm
She deserves some Muslim justice. She should be stoned to death. Just think if she had picked some random illegal and fingered him as the perp and stuck to her story. Everyone here, if on the jury, would have convicted the guy without a shred of evidence.
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- GhostOfJefferson
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:29pm
  I notice you have no problem with her making a false legal accusation, but go out of your way to demonize people who don’t agree with you politically who have nothing to do with this article.
  Report Post »
- NoRoomForSocialismHere
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:30pm
  Point well made, socialist want justice, Islam will give it to you as they love you to death
  Report Post »
- Dale
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:49pm
  mossbrain, she would have to identify him first. Since “he” does not exist, it would remain an unsolved case.
  Report Post »
- ChiefGeorge
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 6:43pm
  Your brain appears to be divided against itself. Try thinking things through before you write something. GOJ is right.
  Report Post »
marhee9
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:20pm
They talked about our declining society at donsmithshow.com a few weeks ago. This is yet another example.
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
Dale
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:20pm
“Ms. Jones has had a distinguished career as a broadcast journalist…”, meteorologist on ABC. I just don’t see any journalism here. Although, the media lies to us; thinking we don’t know the difference, why wouldn’t she think she could get away with it.
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
ZOMBIE JESUS LOVES ME
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:16pm
Damn woman. The progressives should never have given womenfolk and their lily-white buttocks the right to vote. Women’s suffrage. Bah!
Log in to ReplyReply
- ozchambers
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:27pm
  I think you have heard this before: “Shut your piehole, idiot.”
  Report Post »
- NoRoomForSocialismHere
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:28pm
  Damn zombies
  Report Post »
- GhostOfJefferson
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:28pm
  I notice you have no problem with her trying to ruin the life of some guy, and generally make males out to be villains, and you instead vent your feigned outrage at things that nobody here has said in order to demonize anybody not on the Left.
  
  Congratulations on achieving irrelevance, guy.
  Report Post »
- ZOMBIE JESUS LOVES ME
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 4:09pm
  Oh, c’mon, fellas!
  
  Most of the Glenn Beck followers on here are a half step away from saying something as inane as “down women’s suffrage” most of the time.
  
  My point went over your pointed little heads: Progressives — who you constantly demonize — were responsible for many wonderful things, like seeing that women gained the right to vote.
  
  (Take your “irreverence” and shove it up your rear, you asshat.)
- hypnos
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 4:47pm
  Hey Zomby woof try not to get too much cheetos dust on your panties.
  Report Post »
- ZOMBIE JESUS LOVES ME
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 5:00pm
  You know, HYPNOS, punctuation is fun and easy to use. Try it sometime. (Or continue to come off like the illiterate douche bag you are. Your call.)
  
  Cheetos dust and panties.
  
  Okay! I’ll play.
  
  What are two things found in your momma’s doublewide?
  
  (I hope it was Double Jeopardy.) :-)
- URKiddinMee
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 6:01pm
  The sad part is that you really believe your own ****. The first state to grant women’s suffrage was WYOMING. Hardly a liberal state. Nor were Utah, Colorado or Idaho in those days, yet they were the next to grant women the right to vote. Wonder why when one considers the prevalence of Mormonism and plural marriage in those states? And until the mutant Harry Reid, Mormonism was synonomous with Conservatism. But keep on drinking that “progressive Kool-Aid” while we scarf down some more of Obmam’s Rainbow Stew.
  Report Post »
- hypnos
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 7:54pm
  Try not using hyphens unnecessarily Zomby woof. Speaking of double wide. How’s your Mama?
  Report Post »
zagfan
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:06pm
Women like this, seeking attention, make it so hard for women who are raped. I think a little cooling off time in jail might just help her self esteem. She gets in there with some hard core women and she just might see she is o.k.
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- moonpeace
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 6:44pm
  This woman will find a way to avoid jail. Just watch, they’ll say she was raised by strict conservative parents and blame it all on them.
  Report Post »
- BOUGHT YOUR SILO YET?
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 7:09pm
  Or too pretty to put in jail. Wasn’t that the defense of one female school teacher? No, she’ll get off with a fine, probation, community service, or a combination of the three.
  Report Post »
- chips1
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 10:50pm
  She only lusted in her mind. Jimmy Carter didn’t get jail time.
  Report Post »
Sunnyr
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:05pm
Sicko!
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
daylee
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:03pm
Is this the same ABC where no one else can tell the truth, gee I wonder where she learned her trade?
Report Post » Log in to Reply Reply
ozchambers
Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:01pm
If only lying politicians could get fired this quickly.
Report Post » Log in to ReplyReply
- untameable-kate
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:06pm
  No kidding we only get to fire them every two years. I wonder why she would do this though, she must have known she would look like a fool when the lie was exposed.
  Report Post »
- DimmuBorgir
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:08pm
  WHAT?!?!? a woman lied about being raped???
  
  Say it ain’t so…
  
  please this has been going on ever since woman realized courts don’t believe men
  Report Post »
- Chicago Ray
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:21pm
  Especially when they know this is all they’re facing if caught up in their lies…”She was given a desk appearance ticket for false reporting, which is akin to a traffic violation and does not require the suspect be taken into custody. “
  Report Post »
- NoRoomForSocialismHere
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:24pm
  I agree.
  Funny it was at ABC in NY. I bet msnbc will try to hire her, they covet LIARS
  Report Post »
- NoRoomForSocialismHere
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:26pm
  @dimmu, Socialist have had success in making the white male irrelative and a second class citizen though we carry the load
  Report Post »
- snowleopard3200 {mix art}
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 3:50pm
  It would be better if lying politicians were not only fired, but also in the case of laws being broke they would be tried and if convicted given the stiffest penalties availible in accordance to the laws. Just because they have made the law, is no excuse for them being above it, or ignorant of them.
  
  “Read the Law, who has time to read the law?” Is no excuse for them, justice needs to be applied across the board equally to all.
  
  http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm
  Report Post »
- DVT
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 4:01pm
  Amen to that!
  Report Post »
- kryptonite
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 4:17pm
  @DimmuBorgir
  I dare say false rape charges correlate heavily with political affiliation (liberal), and not with womanhood, per se.
  Report Post »
- HillBillySam1
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 5:00pm
  Her accusations of rape were just as accurate as her three-day forecasts…….all meteorologists are liars. I hope that she takes her umbrella to prison…..
  Report Post »
- Sinista Mace
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 7:07pm
  Julian Assange!
  Report Post »
- bcullum1952
  Posted on December 15, 2010 at 9:20pm
  “distinguished career as a broadcast journalist”? Guess that means making up stories, lying, and otherwise untruthful. And the media wonders why we do not believe them.
  Report Post »
- Sondergard
  Posted on December 16, 2010 at 8:57pm
  she should serve no less time than the average rapist. nasty b*%ch trying to get attention. its people like her that get others wrongfully convicted and drag innocent peoples names through the mud. i hope she rotts in hell and gets raped over and over again for eternity by the devil himself
  Report Post »
- Sondergard
  Posted on December 16, 2010 at 8:59pm
  wrongfully claiming rape is just as bad as rape itself
  Report Post »

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.