Piers Morgan speaks at Leveson inquiry into media ethics

(20 Dec 2011)
London/US
1. Wide of former tabloid editor Piers Morgan appearing via video link from the US at inquiry into British media ethics in London
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert Jay, Lawyer for the Leveson Inquiry: (++overlaid with shot 1++)
"Have you listened to recordings of what you knew to be illegally obtained voicemail messages?"
Morgan: "I do not believe so, no."
Jay: "Well, you either did or you didn't, I don't think it's a question of belief."
Morgan: "No, it is...."
Jay: "Have you listened to recordings of what you knew to be illegally obtained voicemail messages?"
Morgan: "I do not believe so."
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert Jay, Lawyer for the Leveson Inquiry:
"You listened to a tape of a voicemail message, is that correct?"
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Piers Morgan, former tabloid editor: (++answer to Jay's question concerning Heather Mills' voicemail message++)
"I listened to a tape of a message, yes."
Jay: "But it was a voicemail message, wasn't it?"
Morgan: "I believed it was, yes."
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert Jay, Lawyer for the Leveson Inquiry:
"And then you deal in more detail here (referring to his published diary) with what you heard. (Quoting it) 'It was heartbreaking. The couple had clearly had a tiff. Heather had fled to India and Paul was pleading with her to come back.' And then he even sang something into the answer-phone, as you say. So you listened to all of that. Did you know that that was unethical?"
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Piers Morgan, former tabloid editor: (++includes cutaways of Jay++)
"Not unethical, no."
Jay: "Why not?"
Morgan: "It doesn't necessarily follow that listening to somebody speaking to somebody else is unethical."
Jay: "But on the tape of a voicemail message, you didn't think that was unethical?"
Morgan: "Well, it depends on the circumstances in which you're listening to it."
Jay: "But can you tell us something about the circumstances which might lead us to think that it was not unethical?"
Morgan: "I'm afraid I can't, no, because I'm not going to do anything that may identify the source."
Jay: "But the source would only be someone who was participating in the same unethical activity as you were, isn't that true?"
Morgan: "Well, you're presuming it's unethical."
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Lord Justice Brian Leveson, Chair of the Inquiry: (++partly overlaid with shot 6++)
"Well, let's give it this way, think about it this way, Mr. Morgan. Without identifying your source, the only person who would lawfully be able to listen to the message is the lady in question or someone authorised on her behalf, to listen to it, isn't that right?"
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Piers Morgan, former tabloid editor: (over various questions from Lord Leveson and Robert Jay)
Morgan: "Possibly."
Leveson: "Well..."
Morgan: "Sorry, what do you expect me to say?"
Leveson: "Well, put forward another possibility. There is one, I think."
Morgan: "Well, I mean, I can't go into the details of this without compromising a source. And I'm not going to do that."
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Lord Justice Brian Leveson, Chair of the Inquiry:
"I am perfectly happy to call Lady McCartney to give evidence as to whether she authorised you to listen to her voicemails. If she didn't, if she didn't - she may say she did, in which case you're not compromising anybody - but if she didn't, then we can proceed on the premise that it's somebody else, can't we?"
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Piers Morgan, former tabloid editor:
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Lord Justice Brian Leveson, Chair of the Inquiry:
Jay: "Was your source an employee of the Daily Mirror?"
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