Richard Quest, CNN Reporter, Arrested On Drug Charges

***UPDATE***
The New York Post reports on new, lurid details regarding the arrest of CNN reporter Richard Quest.

CNN personality Richard Quest was busted in Central Park early yesterday with some drugs in his pocket, a rope around his neck that was tied to his genitals, and a sex toy in his boot, law-enforcement sources said.[...]

Quest was initially busted for loitering, the source said. Aside from the oddly configured rope, the search also turned up a sex toy inside of his boot, and a small bag of methamphetamine in his left jacket pocket.

It wasn't immediately clear what the rope was for.

The New York Times' City Room blog reports that CNN International business and travel reporter Richard Quest has been arrested on drug charges:

Mr. Quest was arrested early Friday morning after being escorted out of Central Park for violating the park curfew, a law enforcement official said Friday. The park is closed from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m.

The police noticed Mr. Quest at 64th Street and West Drive at about 3:40 a.m., the official said. As he was being escorted out, he volunteered, "I have meth in my pocket," according to an official briefed on the case. The police searched him and recovered a small amount of methamphetamine in a Ziploc bag.

Not sure who Richard Quest is? Check this video out below:

Related: Thought Process Flowchart: CNN's Richard Quest [236.com]

Comments

[ThePhilosopher]

CNN used to be at least half-way decent as a news source, but over the past couple of years it has steadily gone downhill, abandoning detailed and serious news for sensationalism and entertainment. The hiring of Richard Quest, who has to be about the single most ridiculous person to ever officially hold the job of 'reporter,' is a prime example of this trend. It's sad that he's a meth user, but its great that we won't have to see him on TV anymore.

[loki]

Yeah, when they started adding the sound effects and music like Fox did a couple years back, it was all down hill from there. They are more like an entertainment TV rag show than news.

[workingboy]

Where oh where is Robert Chambers when America needs him?

[vegasobserver]

Where is Aaron Brown, one of the most serious and interesting anchors CNN has had?

I usually found Quest entertaining as a business travel reporter, even if his style was a bit over the top.

[Theda]

I wish they'd bring back Lynne Russell. She was the best news anchor they ever had.

[PauletteRevere]

Aaron Brown. Yes! What a different place CNN would seem with Brown replacing Blitzer for at least ONE of Wolf's three (THREE!) hours.

Ah, the good old days.

[DLSteinhardt]

Aaron Brown, "serious"?!?

The man muttered the conventional wisdom in the soothing tones of a man who loves the sound of his own voice.

When new information came his way that countered the conventional wisdom, you could always count on Aaron Brown to comfort the viewers that there was no need for them to pay attention to it.

Thank heavens that incompetent boob is off the air!!

[akkadian]

Such a square,...

Meth?
Rope?
Are you kidding me?!

[truthyguy]

Outside of the guy who does the Oxyclean commercial, Quest could have the single most annoying voice heard regularly on TV. So he needs those drugs because how could he otherwise stand to hear that voice in his head all day?

[jvwardle]

Here's the 'complete' story.....


http://www.nypost.com/seven/04192008/news/regionalnews/kinky_news_networkcnns_quest_a_very_knot_107174.htm

[TheDebbieDee]

Thanks for the additional info, jvwardle.

[Maifmart]

Makes you wonder what Kyra, Wolf, Anderson, and Larry are on?

[seatom]

Add me to the the Quest fan base. I've always gotten a charge out of Richard. I hope he doesn't lose his job, it would be a shame. As far as the contraband, there's no telling if Richard was a user, yet, it could have just been a form of payment, I suppose.

[CurrerBell]

How sad. I hope things turn out all right for him.

[shag11]

He's an enjoyable character, but I knew his enthusiam was way, way over the top.

[hidflect]

Since you don't sleep for 2-3 days at a time and lose all sense of time 3.40am wouldn't be strange to a meth user. But the eyes tend to faze focus, loll or roll a bit after a day or so and the cop probably looked at him right in the eyes. Quest panicked. Meth can make one very nervous probably causing him to blurt out the truth almost inadvertently. Fact is: I personally know that easily a double digit percentage of professionals in some work classes like media and banking(!) are on meth permanently. It ups the performance dramatically and is almost unnoticeable except to other users who see the "signs". 5-10 year users who show no signs of ill health. And it's not physically addictive in any real sense. Probably less than coffee even. Don't believe EVERY stereotype you see in a junkie movie. Finally, speed is not meth. True meth is ICE and jumps the brain not so much the heart/adrenalin response.

[travy]

meth not addictive? time to put down the pipe...

[lyingtruth]

hidflict,

Are you a comedian or in denial? Maybe you should start a internet company; blogMD!

Btw, what's your opinion; am I safe from an interaction taking meth and Vioxx?

[Henk]

What are you like 14 or something. Its Methamphetamine, idiot! The amphetamine part is SPEED. Jesus, not adictive? Of course not, those guys picking up cans in my alley, walking around like ghosts can quit anytime, they just don't want to abandon the glamorous lifestyle.

[Boringat]

I'm English . Please don't think we're all like this turd-burglar!

[foghornleghorny]

Is that meth in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

[demozealot]

Best of luck to you Richard. Drugs are bad sh*t. Hope this is your bottom hit.

[neoconscums]

Richard Quest? Why is it not surprising? You just KNEW he was on SOMETHING every time he showed up on TV. Sort of like a chicken on speed!!!

[demozealot]

Best of luck to you Richard. Drugs are bad sh*t. Hope this is your bottom hit.

[OverCoffee]

I don't understand why he simply didn't get a prescription for Ritalin. Fortunately, unlike the poor and minorities who get busted and incarcerated for criminally long stretches in jail for this non-violent offense that hurts no one but the user, he will be able to afford an excellent lawyer and likely get sentenced to a vacation in a nice rehab. I wish all Americans should be so fortunate.

[Kula]

You can't be serious? I hurts no one but the user? Do you have any idea how drugs are distributed? Who distributes them? The amount of money involved? I've been to police press conferences where they've shown the fruits of the labour of drug dealers. Automatic weapons, stacks of hundred dollar bills, real estate, cars and more. The guns by the way aren't just for show. By using drugs these people are dragging society down and supporting organized crime. Get Quest some help and let him free, but saying it hurts no one but the user is just ignorant.

[thatsitfortheotherone]

Nice reply. But you are wrong.

[LC23]

Yes I do - the CIA distributes them at the top level - decides which drug planes get in, etc. Watch "American Drug War" on Showtime for starters, then read the many books by former cops and CIA officers who took part in this disgusting trade of death to fund death-squads and other unsavory activities. To add to the irony, the bigwigs in the drug business own huge shares of the prisons-for-profit industry in the USA and the major banks who rely on the liquidity provided by the drug market.

By contrast, if drugs were decriminalized, the only the users/abusers would suffer as there would be no need for guns and no profits to purchase the hard-assets you list - but also no need to incarcerate a higher percentage of our population that Stalin or Mao and the corresponding profits to the police-prison-industrial-complex. Burglary dropped by over 90% in European nations who decriminalized - think about it!

[Nostraboris]

you make a good point for legalizing ALL drugs. The stacks of cash would be taxable and there would be no guns involved. Meth is pretty bad but a night of jager and peach schnapps, or red bull and vodka, will put you butt nekked in a park just as easy, legally.
YOU are ignorant.

[Steamboater]

Central Park West at 3:40am? The poor guy was probably just cruising for a trick.

[PublicusOrator]

I won't swear to it but YES you are absolutly correct.