BY: H. Richard Fallah
MONROVIA: Due to internal disagreement on the way forward and direction of Spoon Talk, since the indictment of Stanton Witherspoon, by the United States Justice Department, four (4) key panelists of the once famous Talk show have taken a decision to terminate their association with the platform.
In a press release issued on February 18, 2023, the four (4) panelists, including Chairman, Ben Sanvee; St. Tomalin Nyenwolo George, Dr. Henry Peabody, and Mr. Keff Hassan said, their decision to leave the talk show was not an easy one.
They, however, assured their fans and supporters that this will not be the last time they will hear from them (the panelists).
The four men promised to inform their followers in due time of their next plans.
“Due to internal disagreement on the way forward and direction of Spoon Talk, we’ve made the difficult decision to terminate our association with the platform”, they noted.
According to them, a little over 3 years ago, they joined forces to build what ultimately became one of the biggest platforms in the Liberian media landscape. Stanton Witherspoon is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the SPOON Group of Media companies.
“We build bridges of trust not out of the thought of perfection, but because we believe in contributing to the greater good of our nation”, the panelists said.
According to the release, the four (4) long-stayed panelists who regularly appeared on the platform (Spoon talk), revealed how it is well-documented and publicized that the core foundation of Spoon Talk was affected when an indictment was announced against CEO Stanton Witherspoon.
“We’ve chosen not to speak to the merits of his case because we have absolute confidence in the United States Justice system”, the release noted.
The former presenters of the Spoon Talk, used the time to wish Mr. Witherspoon and his family well and pray for the best, cognizant of the magnitude of the crimes he’s been accused of.
Mr. Stanton Witherspoon who is the CEO of the popular SPOON TALK, was indicted along with his co-conspirators by a Grand Jury on January 12, 2023, in southern Florida on one (1) charge of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and nine (9) counts of Wire Fraud in what is now being widely known as the “Nursing Fraud Scandal wherein fake nursing transcripts and diplomas were allegedly sold to some 7,600 persons.
According to the U.S. Justice Department, a trial date has been set in Florida for “Indicted” Stanton Witherspoon and Co-Defendants.
A federal Judge in the Southern District of Florida in the U.S. has signed an order setting a criminal jury trial date.
During the two-week period, commencing April 10, 2023, or as soon thereafter as the case may be called in the CASE NO: 23-60005–CR-SMITH involving Stanton Witherspoon, and his co-conspirators, Alfred Sellu and Rene Bernadel in Florida.
A Calendar Call in the matter is scheduled for April 4, 2023. Per Court rules, Government prosecutors and the defense counsels have been requested, prior to the Calendar Call to provide pre-trial motions and motions, responses to the Standing Discovery Order, proposed jury instructions, and a proposed list of witnesses and or exhibits they wish to present at trial.
On Thursday, February 16, 2023, the United States Government, through the office of the Assistant U.S. Attorney in Southern Florida, filed A Response To Standing Discovery Order which is required by the Court and encumbers the Government to turn over any evidence it may have discovered in its case against Witherspoon and his co-defendants.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, it is not aware of any written statements by the defendants and none of them testified before the Grand Jury.
The U.S. Attorney is also demanding the turnover of Reciprocal Discovery from the defense counsels of Witherspoon and others in keeping with Federal Rules of Criminal Procedures. There have been no Response filing yet from the Defense counsel.
Witherspoon and co-defendants are out on bail but with certain court-imposed restrictions.
Two of the Defendants – Witherspoon and Sellu are restricted pretrial to their home states of New Jersey and Maryland but are expected to travel to south Florida for their trial.
Stanton Witherspoon is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the SPOON Group of Media companies in Liberia and is host of a daily political talk show on social media from which he has been noticeably absent since his legal woes surfaced.
A reduced list of panelists has been hosting the daily talk show which he, Witherspoon, has vowed will continue into the election season in Liberia.
But, with the recent news of four (4) key panelists disassociating themselves from the platform, many are now asking or wondering as to whether or not the ‘SPOON TALK”, will continue up to the much publicized general and Presidential elections in Liberia or it has finally fallen.
