Eideard

A longtime television newscaster has been charged with illegally accessing the e-mail of his glamorous former co-anchor, who suspected details of her social life were being leaked to gossip columnists. Larry Mendte and Alycia Lane co-anchored the TV news in Philadelphia. Both got fired; he got charged.

Federal prosecutors say fired KYW-TV anchor Larry Mendte accessed Alycia Lane’s e-mail accounts hundreds of times and leaked her personal information to a Philadelphia Daily News reporter.

Lane’s personal life had routinely become tabloid fodder and eventually led to her own dismissal from the station.

“The mere accessing and reading of privileged information is criminal,” acting U.S. Attorney Laurie Magid said. “This case, however, went well beyond just reading someone’s e-mail.”

Mendte was charged with a felony count of intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization. A conviction could bring a six-month prison term under federal sentencing guidelines.

What a creep! Jealous over popularity, bucks, whatever – his rationale for privacy invasion.

Who does he think he is? Richard Nixon?