Nikki Araguz, trailed by film crew, asks media for privacy

[Natasha]

Nikki Araguz, trailed by film crew, asks media for privacy

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7592408.html
6/2/11
Brian Rogers

Nikki Araguz, the transgender widow of a Wharton firefighter who agreed to star in an upcoming reality show and a documentary, shouted expletives at television cameras and demanded privacy after being arraigned on theft charges in a Harris County courtroom today.

"Really, (expletive) guys, you can't let me take the elevator?" Araguz said to television reporters as a documentary filmmaker followed on her heels.

Araguz later was admonished by state District Judge Mike Anderson not to bring recording devices in to court after a court staffer saw a blinking light and a wireless microphone transmitter under Araguz's dark shirt.

As Araguz and a woman who arrived at court with her boarded a crowded courthouse elevator, the woman yelled over the din of the crowd: "Respect the right to privacy, please."

[Ann Onymous]

Just for the record, I did not 'yell over the din.' 

One of many areas in which the articles about today fail to properly describe the events, but then again, when has the media EVER given a damn about getting things right...

[tekla]

demanded privacy after being arraigned on theft charges in a Harris County courtroom today.

I thought courts, courthouses and legal actions were the very definition, if not the epitome of 'public.'

And she might want to reconsider the TV deal, you can't turn that stuff off and on.  People who want to be famous tend not to understand the real price.

[Ann Onymous]

I thought courts, courthouses and legal actions were the very definition, if not the epitome of 'public.'

That does not mean one has to tolerate being hounded by no fewer than six or seven different cameramen in a confined space.  There is a big difference between media sitting in on courtroom proceedings or camera crews filming from a distance versus having one's physical safety jeopardized in a narrow hallway leading to the elevator.  I actually have bruises on my arm this morning from where one of the camera people actually tried to move me out of the way yesterday...

[Shana A]

Just for the record, I did not 'yell over the din.' 

One of many areas in which the articles about today fail to properly describe the events, but then again, when has the media EVER given a damn about getting things right...

I think many of us would like to hear your side of the story!

Z

[Ann Onymous]

I think many of us would like to hear your side of the story!

There are limits on what I really want to splay onto the public forums.  For starters, this IS and REMAINS an ongoing criminal prosecution that I do not want to see tried in the media or public forums.  So from that perspective, little is gained by discussing specifics of the case.  Secondly, I do tend to have a preference to retain some level of anonymity.  At the moment, I know that the media has not YET been able to ascertain just who the hell I am (I know from a courthouse source that one of the on-air people was trying like hell to find out)...and while I AM on camera from yesterday (much moreso with a few stations than with others), it does not mean I need the prospect of additional attention brought upon my firm at this time. 

At a later point in time, I may be a little more forthcoming.  In the meantime, just suffice it to say that my actions, as noted, were incorrectly described in every report I have seen.  Also, at no time did we verbally assault any member of the media.  Nikki's one very audible f-bomb was an open vent of frustration, not a comment directed at ANY particular person...