by KYW's Tony Hanson and Matt Leon
Former CBS 3 TV news anchor Larry Mendte has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges that he hacked into the e-mail of former co-anchor Alycia Lane (see related story).
At a news conference late Friday afternoon at the center city Philadelphia office of his attorneys, Mendte said he was wrong and that he makes no excuses for his behavior. He says it all started five years ago, when Lane first came to CBS-3 TV (read the full statement).
Mendte, married to local Fox 29 news anchor Dawn Stensland, says he and Lane had what he called a "flirtatious, unprofessional, and improper relationship" and that his wife got wind of that relationship and confronted him. Mendte says he admiited it was true and apologized:
"I then immediately stopped having long dinners with Alycia, staying out late with Alyica and I stopped allowing her to come into my office every day to do her make-up. The relationship that was once close turned into a personal feud."
Mendte claims he found proof that Lane was undermining him with management and says he confronted her, asking her to stop but that she wouldn't.
Mendte says he used a device called that captured computer keystrokes to illegally gain access into her e-mail accounts, and in some cases passed on information he found in those e-mails to the press.
Before Friday's hearing, Mendte's attorney said Mendte would plead guilty to a single federal charge of intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization and obtaining information.
As part of the plea agreement, the government is making no specific recommendation on a sentence. Federal prosecutor Michael Levy (right):
"We're not going to make any particular sentence recommendation. And by that I mean I am not going to say to the judge he shoud go to jail or he shouldn't go to jail or he should go to jail for three months or six months or whatever it is. We will tell the judge every fact that is relavant to her sentencing decision."
But the actual sentence will be determined by the judge. Sentencing is scheduled for November.
Mendte, accompanied by his wife (in top photo) and other family members and friends, told the court he was a little nervous, and he revealed he has been seeing a therapist in connection with this case.
Defense attorney Michael Schwartz says Mendte has cooperated fully with authorities and was taking full responsibility for his actions.
Federal authorities have alleged that Mendte hacked into Alycia Lane's e-mail account more than 500 times this year alone -- sometimes more than a dozen times in one day -- and then leaked information he learned to the news media and others.
Mendte was fired in June after this investigation became public. Lane (at right in file photo) was fired earlier in the year after an arrest in New York City, which is soon to be cleared from the record. And she has sued the station over its action (see related story).
Prosecutors have said that Mendte was leaking information from Lane's private communications with her attorney in an effort to undermine her case in New York and her lawsuit against the TV station.
The attorney for Alycia Lane says she is suffering unbelievable emotional pain as a result of Mendte's actions. Attorney Paul Rosen says Mendte's conduct was part of his evil intent to destroy her life and reputation.
Rosen says Lane will want to be heard at Mendte's sentencing with a victim impact statement. And Rosen, who says he too is a victim because their lawyer-client communications were stolen, contends the guideline sentence of probation to six months is not enough.
Rosen adds that Lane will eventually take legal action against Mendte, but they will wait until after his criminal case is finished.
KYW-TV (CBS 3) and KYW Newsradio are owned by CBS Corporation.
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