Sheriff Reveals Name of Source Kept Secret by Jailed Reporter

A sheriff tracked down the identity of a reporter’s confidential source last week and released her name Thursday, eight days after the journalist went to jail for refusing to identify her.

Bexar County Sheriff Harlon Copeland said the source was a cousin of a capital murder suspect that KMOL-TV reporter Brian Karem interviewed by telephone from the county jail last year.

The sheriff said he learned her identity through his own investigation.

However, the disclosure had no immediate effect on Karem’s status. He has been in the Bexar County Adult Detention Center since June 27 serving a six-month term for contempt of court.

Larry Macon, Karem’s attorney, filed a motion to dismiss the contempt of court finding, but State District Judge Pat Priest told Macon in chambers that the motion was meaningless. The judge said only Karem’s statements, not those of another person, could relieve the contempt-of-court finding, according to Cathy Granados, Priest’s court coordinator.

However, a formal hearing will be set for the dismissal motion, she said.

The sheriff’s surprise announcement came as scores of reporters and others gathered at the jail in a rally supporting Karem.

Copeland identified the informant as Deborah Ledesma, a cousin of Henry Hernandez, accused of killing a San Antonio police officer.

There is no Deborah Ledesma listed in San Antonio’s telephone directory so she could not be immediately reached for comment.

Copeland said Hernandez called Ledesma, who then connected Karem with Hernandez.

Lawyers in the murder trial of Hernandez and his brother, Julian, have said they have to know who arranged the interview to see if it is admissible in court.

Karem has repeatedly refused to violate the source’s confidentiality, which brought the contempt order and his jailing.

Karem has appealed the contempt citations to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.