Lillian Smith
Family Violence Foundation
Public education efforts to help stop family violence in Dallas-Ft. Worth TX
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Lillian Smith Foundation calls on CBS Radio to suspend
Russ Martin from airwaves
July 29, 2008
DALLAS TX - After the widespread publicity about radio host Russ Martin’s alleged armed
physical assault of his fiancée last week, the Lillian Smith Family Violence Foundation called
on CBS Radio's General Manager in Dallas today to immediately suspend the "Live 105.3" talk
radio host from the airwaves immediately.
In a letter to CBS Radio's General Manager David Henry, Lillian Smith Foundation president
J.J. Smith urged Henry and CBS to "immediately take him and his previously-taped programs
off the air until his case is resolved in the courts."
Smith also urged that, if the allegations against Martin are found to be true, then he be then fired immediately and banned from any future work with CBS radio stations.
Below is the full text of the letter which was emailed to Henry, who was Smith's former sales manager and friend when J.J. sold advertising at KVIL-FM radio in 1999-2000.
Henry has been very generous to the Lillian Smith Foundation by providing thousands of dollars worth of air time for free for public service announcements to air on several of the Dallas CBS Radio stations:
July 29. 2008
Mr. David Henry
General Manager
KLLI-FM Radio
7901 John Carpenter Freeway
Dallas, TX 75247
Dear David,
After the widespread publicity about Russ Martin’s alleged armed physical assault of his fiancée last week, members of our organization were shocked and extremely disappointed to learn this morning that you allowed him to resume his duties yesterday as a radio host on Live 105.3 FM.
Considering the seriousness of the allegations against Russ Martin, I am writing to urge you to please reconsider your action and to immediately take him and his previously-taped programs off the air until his case is resolved in the courts. Furthermore, if the allegations against Martin are found to be true, then we implore you to fire him immediately and ban him from any future work with CBS radio stations.
The allegation against Russ Martin is not just a little domestic spat. Domestic violence is one of the most serious issues of our time, and it is now the leading cause of injury to women and children in America. It’s also the number one cause of hospital emergency room visits across the nation. One in three women report having been physically and/or sexually assaulted by either their husbands, boyfriends or exes during their lifetime.
A physical assault against anyone, including family members, is also a crime, punishable with fines and jail time. We were just shocked to read in the warrant that he was alleged not only to have physically assaulted his fiancée, but also to have pointed a gun at her.
David, I want to remind you that as a little ten-year-old boy, I witnessed my abusive father shoot and kill my mother in cold blood and then turn the gun on himself and commit suicide. I know and understand the seriousness nature of these allegations, and hope you will consider them just as seriously as I do. You’ve been very generous in the past about providing our non-profit organization with air time on CBS radio stations in DFW to help spread our anti-family violence messages. I sincerely hope that you and your superiors will now set the proper example and take Russ Martin off the air, at least until these serious charges are settled.
In conclusion, one of the primary reasons that domestic violence is such a serious issue is because so many victims are afraid to speak up about the attacks perpetrated against them. On behalf of millions of domestic violence victims, family members, friends and concerned citizens across DFW and the nation, I am speaking up and will not let this incident pass without doing whatever I can to ensure that no one who is charged with serious domestic violence crimes be allowed to broadcast on the public’s airwaves.
You should also be aware that we have contacted the news media about this letter and plan to generate additional media coverage to further urge you and CBS to take Russ Martin off the air. We don’t mean to cause you trouble or further embarrassment, but these allegations are just too serious to allow them to pass without serious public protest.
I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you for your consideration of our requests.
Sincerely yours,
J.J. Smith
Founder & President
The Lillian Smith Family Violence Foundation
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"Live 105.3" talk radio host
Russ Martin
