CBS Evening News hasn't covered alleged gang rape by KBR-Halliburton employees

Summary: In contrast with ABC's World News and NBC's Nightly News, the CBS Evening News has so far ignored the allegations of Jamie Leigh Jones, who has claimed that she was gang-raped by fellow employees of Kellogg, Brown and Root inside the Baghdad Green Zone in July 2005 and subsequently held under armed guard in a trailer after reporting the incident. Both ABC's World News and NBC's Nightly News reported on Jones' testimony and alleged attack.

In contrast with ABC's World News and NBC's Nightly News, the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric has so far ignored the allegations of Jamie Leigh Jones, a 23 year-old Texas woman who has claimed that she was gang-raped by fellow employees of Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR) inside the Baghdad Green Zone in July 2005 and subsequently held under armed guard in a trailer for approximately 24 hours after reporting the incident to KBR personnel. According to a December 20 Reuters report, KBR -- a Pentagon contractor that was a subsidiary of Halliburton until 2007 -- initially investigated the alleged attack, but turned the investigation over to the federal government "at the government's request." Two years later, the Department of Justice has not filed any charges, and according to a statement by Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), "has not informed Jamie or [Poe] of the status of a criminal investigation against her rapists." Jones testified about the alleged attack before a congressional subcommittee on December 19. Both ABC's World News with Charles Gibson and NBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams reported on Jones' testimony and alleged attack during their December 19 broadcasts. In addition, ABC's 20/20 ran a segment about Jones' allegations on December 14.

Jones testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security on December 19 during a hearing on the "Enforcement of Federal Criminal Law to Protect Americans Working for U.S. Contractors in Iraq." Poe, who represents Jones' congressional district, said in his written statement that he contacted the State Department and had Jones removed from her guarded trailer and brought back to the United States. In her written testimony, Jones stated: "Through the Jamie Leigh Foundation, I have become aware of numerous other women who were assaulted and raped and were then retaliated against for having reported those attacks." Attached to Jones' testimony was an affidavit from Letty Surman, who said she "was the key contact person for HR issues arising out of Basra, Iraq." Surman's affidavit states, "During my time as an HR supervisor, I was aware that a lot of sexual harassment went on -- it was our major complaint." Jones filed a civil suit against KBR and Halliburton for "sexual harassment, sexual discrimination, [and] intentional infliction of emotional distress." She also sued the United States, along with KBR and Halliburton, for negligence, and sued her alleged attackers for assault and battery.

While the CBS Evening News has yet to report on Jones' allegations, Poe did appear on the December 12 broadcast of CBS' The Early Show to discuss Jones' alleged attack. Also, on December 13, The Early Show reported that Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) "is joining the call for a federal investigation" into Jones' case, and on December 17, Early Show co-anchor Russ Mitchell interviewed Jones along with her attorney, Todd Kelly, about Jones' alleged attack and her then-upcoming congressional testimony.

—K.H.