University of Kentucky Students Held For Alleged Rioting

by James R. Carroll and Lesley Stedman Weidenbener

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Three people connected with the University of Kentucky's student newspaper were arrested Monday on charges of rioting outside the Republican National Convention.

Those arrested were UK senior Edward Matthews and sophomore Britney McIntosh, both journalism students and photographers for the Kentucky Kernel, and James Winn, a photo advisor for the newspaper.

The three spent Monday night and all day yesterday in the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center in St. Paul, according to a spokeswoman for the Ramsey County, Minn., Sheriff's Department. She was a volunteer and asked that her name not be used.

Matthews and McIntosh were awaiting formal charges of felony rioting, while Winn was awaiting formal charges for rioting, the spokeswoman said. If formal charges are not filed by noon today, the three would be released, she said.

Kernel Editor-in-chief Brad Luttrell said the photographers were not on assignment for the newspaper. However, he said they intended to go to St. Paul to document the protests.

"I'm very sure none of the three crossed any lines," he said. "They're some of the most ethical people we have."

Luttrell said that's why he was surprised to get a call about the arrests today.

"We knew the police would be out in force," he said. "We talked about how to be careful. We know photographers can get arrested."

The photographers had press passes visible and emergency numbers written on their arms in case they were arrested, Luttrell said.

Winn, the photo advisor, is a former photographer for The Courier-Journal.

Carla Winn said she and her husband were attempting to shoot pictures of a clash between police in riot gear and protesters who were disrupting traffic and breaking windows.

"We came around the corner and there was a rush of people," she said.

Winn said her husband and the students got rounded up in a group of protesters and journalists that were being arrested by police.

"They didn't really care if you were media or not," she said. "He was shooting pictures the whole time. It was obvious he wasn't a protester."

She said the last time she had spoken with her husband he had not been told what the charges against him were.

Carla Winn said her husband and the students were being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union.

A call late last night to the ACLU's office in St. Paul was not immediately returned.