CBS Producer Told to Report to Jail

A CBS producer must report to jail for refusing to turn over a transcript and video of an interview with a suspect in the Jasper, Texas, dragging death case after an appeals court refused to hear her case. In a one-paragraph decision, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals refused to hear both of Mary Mapes’ contempt appeals and revoked a $2,000 bond it allowed while deciding whether to hear her case, said Richard Wetzel, general counsel for the court. The trial judge had twice ordered Mapes jailed for refusing to comply with subpoenas that demand she hand over a transcript and videotape of the complete interview between Shawn Allen Berry and anchor Dan Rather, portions of which aired on “60 Minutes II” on Sept. 28. Prosecutors have tried to obtain the unaired portions of Berry’s interview by subpoenaing the Dallas-based producer.