JMU on Hibson Case: Let Judicial Process Reach "Fair Conclusion"

So if you have been following our coverage of the two James Madison University student journalists, charged with several judicial violations, while covering a news story on campus, then you know one of the two students is Potomac Falls High School grad Katie Hibson, an athlete that we covered back in our "LPS days".

Hibson gave a very mature interview yesterday and we can't wait follow her career and see what great things she does. We have not presented the university's side of the story but we can now after JMU Director of Public Affairs and University Spokesman, Don Egle, called this morning.

One-on-One Interview with Potomac Falls Grad Katie Hibson: JMU Student Journalists Caught in Controversy

VivaLoudoun.com editor Dan Sousa remembers covering Katie Hibson when she was an academic and athletic standout at Potomac Falls High School so he has followed with interest her thrust into the media spotlight after a run-in with the James Madison University administration while covering a story a week ago for the student newspaper. Dan caught up with Katie via phone this afternoon and got the background on her story. After he interviewed her it was learned that the university is going ahead with judicial charges against Hibson and a fellow reporter including trespassing and disorderly conduct. A judicial meeting with the students has been scheduled at JMU for Nov. 5. Note to James Madison University administration: you may want to Google Mr. Madison as we think he might have been involved with something called the "Bill of Rights" that guarantees the freedom of the press!

Harrisonburg (Oct. 27, 2009) - Potomac Falls High School grad Katie Hibson said her sudden thrust into the media spotlight took her by surprise.

"The first day it was kind of cool with TV crews coming around and being on the front page o the local newspaper," said the James Madison sophomore who has been judicially charged with two counts of trespassing and a count of disorderly conduct while interviewing fellow students at a Dukes dorm after a "peeping tom" incident.

It has been more than a week and the incident has gone from regional to national with the Associated Press picking up the story.

"After the first day, it started getting kind of old," said Hibson. "It is taking up must of my day. I can't get anything done."

Former Potomac Falls Grad Charged at James Madison for Reporting the News!

Editor's note from Dan Sousa: As a journalist and big supporter of the media, especially student newspapers in high school and college, I can't believe this wire story that came across from the Associated Press today! I have always heard very good things about James Madison University but I think the school is giving itself a real black eye by this behavior ... charges against student journalists doing their job on campus should be dropped immediately!

Harrisonburg (Oct. 27, 2009) - Former Potomac Falls High School athlete and journalist, Katie Hibson, is one of two James Madison University students charged ... for reporting the news!

Hibson, a 2008 Potomac Falls grad and a reporter for the JMU student newspaper The Breeze, was charged along with editor Tim Chapman, with trespassing and disorderly conduct after they were interviewing students inside a JMU dorm on campus about a Peeping Tom incident.

Hibson was a basketball player at Potomac Falls and also won awards for her work on the yearbook, among other accomplishments. In 2008 she received the school's Sportsmanship Award.

Read the story from The Breeze on the incident!

Read Katie's story here!

Here is the AP report from the Washington Post!