AP WRITING SAMPLES
WDRB News Scripts:
As a mid-day reporter at WDRB, I am usually live at 4, 5, and 6pm newscasts. Each show has a different format. Sometimes a story is presented as a live package, othertimes it is a live SOT VO SOT. At the bare minimum, I have a live VOSOT and a live package to write each day.
HARVEST SHOOTING
FIRST RESPONDERS
MURDER TRIAL
Live VO, 5PM; October 30, 2024:
A Louisville man is now behind bars... for the Harvest Homecoming shooting.
WDRB's Molly Jett explains who could be responsible for one teenagers death... and two other's injuries.
​
{MOLLY LIVE}
New Albany Police say Joshua Smith confessed to shooting his gun into the air.. while he was in the ride area at Harvest Homecoming.
​
{VO}
18-year-old Bryce Gerlach was killed, and two others were injured.
Smith's bond was set at 500-thousand dollar cash... for his charges of criminal recklessness.. for shooting a firearm into a building... obstruction of justice, resisting law enforcement and criminal mischief.
Police say two bullets were found at the YMCA building in New Albany.
Police say Smith... admitted to selling the gun he used... right after the shooting.. to a person for drugs and wouldn't release that person's name.
Investigators say Smith... said that person sold the gun... to another person.. and didn't know that person's name.
On Sunday morning.. New Albany Police and other agencies.. conducted 6 raids in Southern Indiana and Louisville.
Residents tell WDRB News, the raids included locations at Monon Crossing Apartments, Bonnie Sloan Drive and East Oak Street in New Albany,
Police say they detained two people.
While interviewing Smith, police say he told them... he needed to go to the bathroom, but instead tried to escape.
They found him in the Floyd County evidence processing room... which is a dead end.
Police say Smith fought with officers... as they escorted him back into NAPD ... and kicked a smart board device... that flew back into the wall causing damage.
He was then handcuffed.
​
{MOLLY LIVE}
Smith is scheduled to be back in court on November 13th... for a bail review hearing.
Live with photojournalist Jonathan McEmber, I'm Molly Jett, WDRB News.
LIVE VOSOT, 6PM; October 16, 2024:
An LMPD officer stopped a man from committing suicide on the Clark Memorial Bridge.
WDRB's Molly Jett explains... how a six-minute conversation... saved a firefighter.
​​
{MOLLY LIVE}
A week ago today.... an LMPD officer responded to a call about a car being pulled over on the side of this bridge.
When LMPD Officer Ali Thomas arrived.... he noticed a man on the other side of the rail.
He stepped up... immediately.
​
[TAKE VO]
{***VO***}
LMPD Officer Ali Thomas used to be a fire fighter.
He served for the Louisville Fire Department for more than 20 years.
He joined LMPD in 2021.
The man in crisis on the bridge... was wearing a t-shirt with fire department logo.
Thomas approached him swiftly, but cautiously... so that the two could hear each other speak.
The two bonded over being firefighters.
Six minutes later... Thomas helped pull him to safety.
​
{***SOT FULL***}
4:57:52, LMPD Officer Ali Thomas, 15sec: "When I was on the fire department I was down in the water and so if they were to jump, I was a part of that rescue; but now being a police man, I am on the top. I get to see a different side. I get to build a bond, talk to them. I just didn't want anybody to jump."
​
[TAKE :CONT VO]
{***CONT VO***}
Thomas said it's a really hard... and emotional topic to speak about.
Sometimes he says he doesn't even speak about these every-day scenarios with his family... because these situations occur to often and don't usually end positively.
​
{MOLLY LIVE}
For a split second... Thomas said he even considered jumping in after him... if he had jumped...
But in this case.. Gil... it wasn't necessary.
LIVE SOTVOSOT, 5PM; October 10, 2024:
Emotional testimony chills the courtroom in the fourth day of Michael Hurley's murder trial.
Hurley is charged with running over this Kansas family in downtown Louisville in 2022.
WDRB's Molly Jett shares how the crash changed a D-1 athletes’ life.
​
{MOLLY LIVE}
19-year-old Ava Jones saw Hurley for the first time today.
She answered questions on the stand with tears coming down her face…
​
{***SOT FULL***}
IN: 12:41, Ava Jones, sec: "I can't walk that far... can't run.. trouble with weights.... // state: Ava do you want to take a break? ​
​
[TAKE VO]
{***VO***}
O)
Ave Jones was 17 and a valedictorian at the time of the crash.
Two years later… she testifies… explaining how her life-altering injuries impact her life now.
Eyes filled with tears… she shares how the crash left her with a double vision… hand-eye coordination issues… and a traumatic brain injury… forcing her to medically retire from basketball.
It now takes Ava 20 seconds to write her name.
She also shares how she had to have several surgeries… learned how to walk and speak again… and now… worries she’ll never regain her mobility or memory long enough to secure a job.
​
{***SOT FULL***}
IN: 12:50, Ava Jones: "Coordination... my hand doesn’t stay where I want it too..." ((butted to)) 12:57, Ava Jones: "I talk to a professor, then I don't remember what we talked about or what to test on."
[TAKE :CONT VO]
{***CONT VO***}
Jone’s testified she doesn’t remember the crash, only her grandparents caring for her in the hospital later.
Attorneys played several angles of shocking and disturbing surveillance video for the jury before Jones testified.
A warning-- the video shown in court this morning is disturbing... which is why we've made the decision to not show it in its entirety.
It shows the Jones family standing on the sidewalk at 2nd and Market Streets waiting to cross.
You see the car drive up onto the sidewalk and crash into the Jones family.
The crash is over in seconds...
The father, Trey Jones was killed.
Hurley is charged with murder, assault and driving under the influence.
He faces up to 70 years in prison.
​​
{MOLLY LIVE}
Testimony is continuing at this hour.
Amy, the mother also seriously injured in the crash is expected to testify later today.
With photojournalist Josh Horton... I'm Molly Jett... WDRB News.​
13WMAZ Scripts:
For the first 6-months of my reporting career, I worked from home on a VPN and hotspot. Often times, I ran into technical difficulties. Other times, I simply wasn't in the newsroom with my colleagues, so I wasn't able to bounce story angles off them, or suggest breakout ideas as often as I would have liked.
LAWSUIt dropped
macon shooting
DEATH PENALTY
VOSOT, 5PM; May 12, 2022:
One version of a hefty lawsuit against Warner Robins is now over. A federal judge recently ended a $10-million dollar complaint.
​
[TAKE VO] {***VO***}
On May 2nd, the judge dismissed the case with prejudice. That means the case is closed and can't be re-filed. Two years ago, two companies sued the City of Warner Robins.
A-2-D..... an Atlanta based fiber optic company.... and a second company..... E-C-B-I Warner... claimed then-Mayor Randy Toms denied them access to their fiber lines. they blamed racial discrimination.
​
​
[TAKE :FULL] {***FULL***}
A different version of the lawsuit is still pending in the Houston County Superior Court... but the attorney for the city believes they will also win this case. You can read a full breakdown of the case on our website.
LLVOB, 6PM; December 21, 2021:
"Just after midnight this morning.... more than 30 bullets hit this home.... on Key Street. That's off Anthony Road. Who lives inside? A 90-year-old widow... who has never been so close to gunfire before."
​
[TAKE VO] {***VO***}
According to the Bibb County Sheriff's Office... three bullets went through the front door, 22 bullets went into the front left window... and more were found further inside of the home. Marine Hodges lives alone... but her son was visiting for Christmas from Nashville. He was home when it happened and says their door bell camera caught it all. Hodges says, neither them were hurt, but both of them are still in shock.
​
[TAKE SOT DURATION:0:14] {***SOT FULL***}
<Hodges: "It's just unbelievable that people would just come up to your house... and I just... they could've shot the truck up, I wouldn't have cared. I would not have care. But they didn't shot that up. They shot up the house. My mom is in here.">
​
[TAKE SOT] {***SOT FULL***}
<Me: "According to the Sheriff's Office... the house camera shows an "unknown vehicle" pulling up in front of their home... someone shooting, and then quickly driving off. Hodges says, the shooting last no more than 30 seconds. In Macon, Molly Jett, 13WMAZ News.">
LLVOB, 5 & 6PM; September 22, 2021:
Today is the third day of inmate Donnie Rowe's murder trial, and it started with a visit to the crime scene itself.
​
[TAKE VO] {***VO***}
A wrecker brought the bus to Putnam Superior Court. It's been in storage since June 2017... when prosecutors say Rowe and Ricky Dubose allegedly killed the two corrections officers… carjacked a passing car……and escaped. Defense lawyers argued that jurors didn't need to see the blood-spattered bus.... but Judge Brenda Trammell disagreed.
​
[TAKE SOT] {***SOT FULL***}
< Judge Trammell : Therre will be no talking allowed.. AT ALL. So you are going to be provided gloves and booties. You will be allowed to walk around the bus if you wish. And you will also be allowed to step into the bus if you wish. >
​
[TAKE VO] {***VO***} The judge kept the media about 30 yards away… but even from a distance.. you could see bullet holes and shattered glass. It was dead quiet as the jury looked at the bus... and most stayed outside. District Attorney T. Wright Barksdale talked about how jurors reacted.
​
[TAKE SOT] {***SOT FULL***}
<Barksdale: "None of them were laughing, none of them were crying. There was no emotion. Quiet frankly, it might be the most quiet morning I have seen in downtown Eatonton in a long time.">
​
TAKE VO] {***VO***}
As soon as everyone was back in the courtroom.. Rowe's lawyers asked for a mistrial….saying jurors were crying while inspecting the bus. Judge Trammell disagreed…. sharply.
​
[TAKE SOT] {***SOT FULL***} <Judge Trammell: "I will tell you M.r Levin.. I cannot understand where you came up with that characterization. I stood there and watched all those jurors. Nobody cried. Nobody appeared upset. they all appeared contemplative and went and looked at the evidence in this case. So your motion is denied. ">
​
[TAKE SOT] {***SOT FULL***}
<As the trial resumed…. jurors listened to another witness… who found the abandoned hijacked car in Morgan County. In Eatonton, Molly jett, 13WMAZ News. >
WHAS-11 Scripts:
Being an associate producer in Louisville, Kentucky during the year of 2020 allowed me to experience a global pandemic, social unrest, and a presidential election through the eyes and ears of a newsroom. Some of my tasks were to log and tweet news conferences in Slack and Twitter, pick sound bites and kickers, write scripts, search web content, answer phone calls, etc. Every day was a new experience, especially while working remotely.
Breonna Taylor
VOSOT, 5PM; May 13, 2020:
No more *no-knock warrants* for L-M-P-D officers... unless the chief of police signs off and a judge agrees.
It's one of the major changes announced by the mayor today in the wake of the Breonna Taylor shooting.
Hello everyone I'm Doug Proffitt.
​
{VO}
LMPD is also updating its body camera policy to require that all sworn officers, including Narcotics officers, have body cameras available for serving warrants and other situations when they will be identifying themselves as police officers.
But the mayor and police chief are not stopping there.
​
{***SOT FULL***}
<2:20 — 2:32 SOT: That's why today — I am announcing the following steps. A partnership with metro council. The mayors office will establish a work group of community public safety and criminal justice leaders to explore a process for a strong and independent civilian view of police disciplinary matters>
{****END SOT***}
​
[TAKE :CONT VO]
{***CONT VO***}
​
{***DOUG***}
That work group is the Civilian Review Board the Interdenominational ministers coalition suggested last week.
They were also at this announcement and had a lot to say.
We'll have more on that part and their comments....coming up at 6.
POTUS & COVID-19
VOSOT, 6PM; July 24, 2020:
President Donald Trump wrapping up a news conference about the coronavirus in just the last 30 minutes.
The president telling reporters he promises to develop a vaccine.
​
[TAKE VO]
{***VO***}
He says this vaccine is coming along quicker than expected and it will be here *soon*... although he didn't provide an exact timeline.
As positive case numbers in southern states increase... the president wants to see people wearing masks and being safe.
​
{***SOT FULL***}
<"We are instead asking Americans to use masks, socially distance, and employ vigorous hygiene; wash your hands every chance you get, while sheltering high-risk populations.">
​
[TAKE :CONT VO]
{***CONT VO***}
​
{***DOUG***}
President Trump also asks young Americans avoid packed bars and other crowded
indoor gatherings.
Unemployment
VOSOT, 11PM; September 27, 2020:
Earlier today, the Beshear Administration announced a long-awaited unemployment update.
​
[TAKE VO]
{***VO***}
Governor Beshear says Kentucky has been approved by FEMA for additional unemployment benefits.
It's 400 dollars a week for the weeks of August 22, 29 and September 5... for qualified recipients.
Governor Beshear also says eligibility for those payments... depends on everyone's specific situation.
​
{***SOT FULL***}
4:39PM, Beshear: <"This is a win win, a win for those struggling to get those extra dollars and we see the money cycle through our economy ... and comes back to the state...">
​
[TAKE :CONT VO]
{***CONT VO***}
​​
{***PAULINA***}
The governor announced 8 hundred 24 new cases bringing the total to at least 62 thousand 731 coronavirus cases in Kentucky. He also announced 7 additional deaths... one thousand 119 people have lost their lives to COVID-19.