In a reversal of his July pleading of not guilty, director Randall Miller pleaded guilty today to charges related to the death of camera assistant Sarah Jones. Also, is it a religion or a cult? New Yorker journalist Lawrence Wright takes on his latest investigation into Scientology alongside renowned documentarian Alex Gibney. Then, in the wake of a ballot measure that legalized the use of marijuana in our nation’s capital, a D.C. Council committee has advanced a bill to ban employers there from prescreening job applicants for the drug.
Director of ‘Midnight Rider’ gets 10-year sentence for Sarah Jones’ death
In a reversal of his July pleading of not guilty, director Randall Miller pleaded guilty today to charges related to the death of camera assistant Sarah Jones.
The negotiated plea deal requires the director of “Midnight Rider,” a biopic about the Allman Brothers and their rock band, to serve 10 years in jail, pay a $20,000 fine, and complete 360 hours of community. With good behavior, he is expected to only serve two years, although he would be banned from participating in any supervisory role on a film set during the rest of the initial period. The charges include involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespass.
Will Miller’s plea catalyze a shift towards safer sets? What is the level of acceptable risk that directors, crews, and others on set should take?
Guests:
Austin Siegemund-Broka, reporter with The Hollywood Reporter and he was in the courtroom this morning -
Dominic Patten, reporter for Deadline -
Former Scientologist featured in new documentary 'Going Clear'
Is it a religion or a cult? New Yorker journalist Lawrence Wright takes on the Church of Scientology alongside renowned documentarian Alex Gibney in the upcoming HBO documentary film "Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief," based on Wright's book of the same name.
"Going Clear" — which open in theaters in Los Angeles this weekend and on HBO later on March 29 — details the interstellar dogma of Scientology, weaves through its history, the dramatic life story of founder L.Ron Hubbard and condemns the organization for abusing and exploiting its followers.
On-camera interviews with former members include Hollywood screenwriter Paul Haggis and former church liaison to John Travolta, Sylvia "Spanky" Taylor, who claims she was imprisoned in horrible conditions after trying to leave the church.
In response to the documentary, the church of Scientology has taken out full-page newspaper ads arguing that "Gibney, co-producer Lawrence Wright and HBO have intentionally covered up relevant facts discrediting their sources speaks volumes about their bigoted agendas and the bias they hold toward people of any faith that doesn’t carry their stamp of approval."
Why did Gibney and Wright want to take on the notoriously litigious church? Why does Scientology continue to be cloaked in mystery?
Guests:
Sylvia "Spanky" Taylor, former member of the Church of Scientology featured in the documentary; former church liaison to actor John Travolta
Lawrence Wright, Producer of the documentary "Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief," based on Wright's book by the same name
Stakeholders debate next phase of the 710 freeway expansion proposal
The long-awaited environmental impact report of the 710 freeway extension proposal was released Friday.
Lawmakers from the City of Alhambra and La Cañada Flintridge debate what should happen next.
Guests:
Barbara Messina, Councilmember, City of Alhambra
Donald Voss, Mayor Pro Tem, City of La Cañada Flintridge
6 things you need to know about marijuana and Calif. employment laws
In the wake of a ballot measure that legalized the use of marijuana in our nation’s capital, a D.C. Council committee has advanced a bill to ban employers there from pre-screening job applicants for the drug.
But employers can still test for pot and other drugs after they offer the job to someone, according to the Washington Post. The D.C. bill still requires employers to test potential employees whose duties include the handling of heavy machinery and equipment, and the federal government’s policy of pre-screening all applicants still stands.
Listen to the segment for even more tips!
Ranker - Top 10 Lists and More
Guests:
Todd Wulffson, labor law lawyer and partner at the law firm, Carothers, DiSante & Freudenberger in Irvine
Jonathan Kulick, Senior Project Director, School of Public Policy, Pepperdine University
Jonathan Caulkins, Professor, Operations Research and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. He was co-director of RAND’s Drug Policy Research Center in Santa Monica from 1994 to 1996.