FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Lori Sitler

Phone: (302) 577-8314

Pager: (302) 247-1132

Date: October 18, 2002

(Wilmington, DE): At a noon press conference today, Attorney General M. Jane Brady and Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham joined crime victims and advocates in speaking out against a new series on VH-1, "Music Behind Bars", which features inmates in prison rock bands.

Brady called on VH-1 to, "provide better role models and better programs for our young people." Brady said she wanted potential viewers to, "think about the impact on the victims."

The initial show on VH-1, airing tonight at 10 p.m. on channel 55 in New Castle County and channel 41 in Kent and Sussex Counties, will feature a band from the Pennsylvania State Correctional Institute at Gratersford known as Dark Mischief.

Kathy Winter, a Delawarean whose brother was murdered in Pennsylvania in 1982, related that as a mother and a survivor of a violent crime, she was compelled to speak out against this series. "Murderers are not entertaining," Mrs. Winter stated. Although not members of the prison band, her brother's killers are housed at Gratersford Prison in Pennsylvania. Winter called on VH-1 not to "line their coffers with our pain" and planned to "reach out to anyone who will listen" to bring attention to how shows like this impact on victims.

Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham expressed outrage at VH-1's new program. She said that this series is, "beyond the pale and a slap in the face to victims." She said that she and Brady as well as member of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association stand united as prosecutors against the, "infuriating, poor and stupid judgment of the show's producer". She urged a boycott of the program and its sponsors. She said that Governor Mark Schweiker was, "poorly served by his Department of Correction" and that prison officials in Pennsylvania gave no consideration to victims in making the decision to participate in the series.

Carol Post, Executive Director of the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said that, "we must put the needs of victims of crime before the needs of those who have perpetrated crimes. Post pointed out that October is national Domestic Violence Awareness month, "a time when we ask members of the community including the media… to join us in creating positive solutions that will help us prevent violence." Post said that she is not opposed to music programs or rehabilitation efforts in prisons, "but I am concerned about the broadcast of programs like these, on national television, especially aimed at young people…There are many ways to reach youth through music…without highlighting and glamorizing the lives of those who have committed crimes." She said that victim advocates, "must protect victims of violent crime from being exploited by any of our institutions including the media."

Meghan Mariner, a 17 year old from Milford who lost her mother to murder, said that the VH-1 program was unfair to victims and that a program featuring inmates, "crosses the limits". She appealed to teens, to whom the show is targeted, to refuse to watch it and to send a message to the producers.

Brady pointed out that this series, "is not a documentary - this is being billed as entertainment" and cautioned parents to be alert to the programs that their teens were watching.

###