Billau's Blog: From The Death House...

Monday, January 18, 2010

From The Death House...

Bill Hormann and I traveled to Lucasville, OH the first week of this month to cover the execution of Vernon Smith. Bill was a witness to the execution. In addition to our coverage January 7th, after the execution, Bill appeared on Conklin and Company to discuss what he was a witness to. I did not witness the execution, but I have uploaded the following photos and documents that were given to the media upon our arrival at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility. I find the death house layout especially interesting (and creepy).

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BE – low. That’s how you say it. It’s kind of nice because I always know when a telemarketer is calling our house.

The Toledo area has always been home for me. I went to Whiteford Agricultural School from K-12 (I don’t know why they still call it “Agricultural,” when I was in high school we had to co-op to Dundee to take an “Ag” class). I got a scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design. There I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in the discipline of film and video.

I've been with 13 ABC since October, 2001. My job as a photographer (camera man), keeps me behind the scenes, but I’m always where news is happening. My job has taken me to many places. I’ve ridden in a presidential motorcade. I was there when the Wings won the Cup in 2002. I’ve covered five Indianapolis 500 races. In August, 2005, I traveled with Lissa Guyton to Whitefish Point, Michigan to work on a story about the 30th anniversary of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald that aired later that November. Shortly after returning from Whitefish Point, I traveled with photographer Kevin Beining to Houston, Texas to cover the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and shortly after I went back to cover the approaching Hurricane Rita. In the fall of 2006, I traveled with the Kristian Brown to Lake George, New York to mark the one year anniversary of the Ethan Allen tragedy. 2006 ended with me traveling to Grand Rapids, Michigan to cover the funeral of President Gerald Ford. In March, 2007, I traveled with Bill Hormann to Atlanta, Georgia, to cover the Bluffton Team Tragedy. In the fall of 2007 I travel again with Lissa Guyton, this time to Omaha, Nebraska to continue to follow the progress of Matthew Drake. I've also been 13 ABC's court photographer for the high profile trials of Father Robinson, Robert Jobe, and the Toledo Terror Suspects. In September of 2008, I again traveled with Kevin Beining (this time with Jeff Smith and Jason Klocko, too) to Houston for hurricane coverage relief. Hurricane Ike was a severe blow to the Houston region and to cover the aftermath, KTRK stayed on the air for over 100 hours commercial-free. I started 2010 off by traveling to Lucasville, OH for the execution of Vernon Smith. Two months later, Lee Conklin and I drove to Nelsonville for a prison cell interview with former GOP fundraiser, Tom Noe.

Let me know what's on your mind. Send your comments, questions, or emails to justin.billau@abc.com.

We have an extremely talented photography staff here, who work very hard to bring you the sights and sounds of the day’s news. If there's some video that you missed on our air or an interview you would like to see in it's entirety, let me know and we'll try and get it posted. We look forward to hearing from you.

Monday, January 18, 2010

From The Death House...

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Justin Billau

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