Richard Lee (journalist)
Encyclopedia
Richard Lee is an independent journalist from Seattle, Washington. Since 1994 he is only known for his investigations into the death of Kurt Cobain
which he believes was a homicide
. Lee was the first to make this claim. He has also promoted himself regarding incidents surrounding his political campaigns, mainly his run for Seattle mayor in 2001 and 2005.
and at a young age began writing for the Chicago Reader. In 1982, he wrote the article "Playing for Change." Some time after the story was published, the city council overturned the law and legalized street performances.
cable TV, Now See It Person to Person, a homage to See It Now
, the historic investigative reporting show of Edward R. Murrow
.
Lee's cable television show was removed from SCAN permanently in April 2008.
in 1994, Lee's coverage of the death led him to fabricated information which raised questions regarding the circumstances of Cobain's end. The official police investigation, under police chief Norm Stamper
, concluded that Cobain had died of an apparent suicide
. Lee is one of a number of individuals who promote the belief that Cobain likely did not commit suicide, but must have been killed by someone else.
Lee changed the name of his show to Now See It Person To Person: Was Kurt Cobain Murdered?, and then to the more definitive Now See It Person To Person: Kurt Cobain Was Murdered. Since then Lee has referred to his show and his related journalism and political activities by the abbreviation KCWM. Since 1994, with occasional involuntary hiatuses, the show has aired weekly and continues to investigate the Cobain case as well as somewhat related and prominent matters of Seattle public affairs.
Lee has appeared in some documentaries about Cobain, such as the BBC's Rock Shrines and Conspiracies TV shows. Lee's confrontational style has led to frequent encounters with police officers and other local figures. Lee is protective of his film, and if confiscated, he often fights in court to have the original copy returned to him.
In 2004, Lee was arrested in Los Angeles at a court hearing for Courtney Love, in which he attempted to ask questions about killing her husband. The incident was covered in entertainment media, especially on Celebrity Justice
.
During the 2005 campaign, Greg Nickels got a mild restraining order against Lee, citing Lee's ambush interview practices over the past years as harassive. Nickel's lawyers, employed by the city, wanted a standard 500 foot restriction from the mayor's home and workplace, which would include city hall. The judge in the case kept the home restriction, but minimized the order to one floor of city hall and to a 50 foot radius in public places and events.
Part of the motivation for the restraining order was Lee's attempt to interview the mayor at a Democratic party event in Fremont
to which many Seattle residents including Lee had been invited. Lee was ejected from the grounds by the owner, but remained on the sidewalk trying to ask questions of the mayor. As the mayor was about to leave, Lee was restrained by a plainclothes police officer that Lee then allegedly kicked in the leg. Lee is currently in court over the assault, for which he has pled not guilty, maintaining that it was he who was assaulted by the officer. During pretrial hearings, he succeeded in forcing the Seattle Police Department
to return the original copy of his videotape
of the incident, which they had confiscated, and refused to return over concerns of publicity. In 2008 the city was ordered to return the original videotape, which Lee then aired on his program; later that year the city dropped the charges against Lee.
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
which he believes was a homicide
Homicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
. Lee was the first to make this claim. He has also promoted himself regarding incidents surrounding his political campaigns, mainly his run for Seattle mayor in 2001 and 2005.
Background
Born in New York in 1963, Lee grew up in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and at a young age began writing for the Chicago Reader. In 1982, he wrote the article "Playing for Change." Some time after the story was published, the city council overturned the law and legalized street performances.
Life in Seattle
Lee moved to Seattle in the early 1990s in search of an underdeveloped political climate. He began a short-lived career with the Seattle Weekly, a local alternative paper. After leaving the Weekly, Lee began a weekly public affairs show on Public-access televisionPublic-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cable TV, Now See It Person to Person, a homage to See It Now
See It Now
See It Now is an American newsmagazine and documentary series broadcast by CBS from 1951 to 1958. It was created by Edward R. Murrow and Fred W. Friendly, Murrow being the host of the show. From 1952 to 1957, See It Now won four Emmy Awards and was nominated three times...
, the historic investigative reporting show of Edward R. Murrow
Edward R. Murrow
Edward Roscoe Murrow, KBE was an American broadcast journalist. He first came to prominence with a series of radio news broadcasts during World War II, which were followed by millions of listeners in the United States and Canada.Fellow journalists Eric Sevareid, Ed Bliss, and Alexander Kendrick...
.
Lee's cable television show was removed from SCAN permanently in April 2008.
Investigations into Kurt Cobain
After the death of Kurt CobainKurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
in 1994, Lee's coverage of the death led him to fabricated information which raised questions regarding the circumstances of Cobain's end. The official police investigation, under police chief Norm Stamper
Norm Stamper
Norm Stamper is a former Chief of the Seattle Police Department and an author. He is best known for his role in the Seattle's response to the protests of the WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999, which eventually led to his resignation....
, concluded that Cobain had died of an apparent suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. Lee is one of a number of individuals who promote the belief that Cobain likely did not commit suicide, but must have been killed by someone else.
Lee changed the name of his show to Now See It Person To Person: Was Kurt Cobain Murdered?, and then to the more definitive Now See It Person To Person: Kurt Cobain Was Murdered. Since then Lee has referred to his show and his related journalism and political activities by the abbreviation KCWM. Since 1994, with occasional involuntary hiatuses, the show has aired weekly and continues to investigate the Cobain case as well as somewhat related and prominent matters of Seattle public affairs.
Lee has appeared in some documentaries about Cobain, such as the BBC's Rock Shrines and Conspiracies TV shows. Lee's confrontational style has led to frequent encounters with police officers and other local figures. Lee is protective of his film, and if confiscated, he often fights in court to have the original copy returned to him.
Notable incidents
In 2000 Krist Novoselic gained a restraining order against Richard Lee, which expired in 2005.In 2004, Lee was arrested in Los Angeles at a court hearing for Courtney Love, in which he attempted to ask questions about killing her husband. The incident was covered in entertainment media, especially on Celebrity Justice
Celebrity Justice
Celebrity Justice was an American news show which ran from 2002 to 2005. It was produced by Harvey Levin Productions, and directed by Brad Kreisburg, and Rob Dorn for one episode in 2005...
.
During the 2005 campaign, Greg Nickels got a mild restraining order against Lee, citing Lee's ambush interview practices over the past years as harassive. Nickel's lawyers, employed by the city, wanted a standard 500 foot restriction from the mayor's home and workplace, which would include city hall. The judge in the case kept the home restriction, but minimized the order to one floor of city hall and to a 50 foot radius in public places and events.
Part of the motivation for the restraining order was Lee's attempt to interview the mayor at a Democratic party event in Fremont
Fremont, Seattle, Washington
Fremont is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington. Originally a separate city, it was annexed to Seattle in 1891. Named after Fremont, Nebraska, the hometown of two of its founders, L. H. Griffith and E...
to which many Seattle residents including Lee had been invited. Lee was ejected from the grounds by the owner, but remained on the sidewalk trying to ask questions of the mayor. As the mayor was about to leave, Lee was restrained by a plainclothes police officer that Lee then allegedly kicked in the leg. Lee is currently in court over the assault, for which he has pled not guilty, maintaining that it was he who was assaulted by the officer. During pretrial hearings, he succeeded in forcing the Seattle Police Department
Seattle Police Department
The Seattle Police Department is the principal law enforcement agency of the city of Seattle, Washington, except for the campus of the University of Washington, for which responsibility falls to the University of Washington Police Department...
to return the original copy of his videotape
Videotape
A videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...
of the incident, which they had confiscated, and refused to return over concerns of publicity. In 2008 the city was ordered to return the original videotape, which Lee then aired on his program; later that year the city dropped the charges against Lee.