WCAU Anchor Quits Amidst Legal Woes
Resignation Follows Upheaval at Competing Philadelphia Station
By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 10/9/2008 7:26:00 AM
On the heels of KYW Philadelphia’s ugly email-snooping case involving former anchor duo Alycia Lane and Larry Mendte, rival WCAU has its own anchor drama. Morning news anchor Lori Delgado quit earlier this week after she and WCAU were hit with a legal notice from former anchor Vince DeMentri, who intends to sue the anchor and the station for slander, according to the NY Post.
DeMentri was fired in August after he was suspected of vandalizing Delgado’s Lexus; published reports say he was also a suspect in the theft of some of Delgado’s possessions, including a blow dryer. DeMentri’s lawyer told the newspaper Delgado is named as a defendant for "intentionally interfering with [DeMentri's] contractual relationship with NBC."
Delgado's lawyer, Eric Weitz, told the Post that Delgado is unaware of any facts that support DeMentri’s allegations.
DeMentri is known as an aggressive reporter, perhaps overly so at times. He was arrested for impersonating a federal agent at Ground Zero two days after Sept. 11 while at WCBS New York, and was suspended in 2006 for nearly coming to blows with WCAU meteorologist Glenn Schwartz.
Late in 2006, WCAU put him in the anchor chair for a relaunched 5 p.m. news focused on investigative reporting. He later shifted to 4 p.m.
WCAU is an NBC O&O. In a statement, VP of News Chris Blackman thanked Lori for her contributions to the station and wished her well.
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