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    "headline": "Wheel of Fortune Announcer Jim Thornton Suspended Over Alleged Chatroom Access",
    "dek": "Sony Pictures Television suspended Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton following allegations he accessed a chatroom linked to pedophilia.",
    "prose": "Sony Pictures Television suspended Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton following allegations that he accessed an online chatroom linked to pedophilia. [^1]\n\nSony Pictures Television terminated the employment of Jim Thornton, the announcer for Wheel of Fortune, effective immediately following a thorough investigation. [^2]\n\nA passenger on a May 14 American Airlines flight from Charlotte to Los Angeles reportedly saw Thornton's laptop displaying a chatroom with conversations about sexual interest in minors. [^3]\n\nAllison Hart, Thornton's attorney, stated that he inadvertently accessed a website connected to suicide-prevention support and denied viewing any illegal child sexual abuse material. [^4]\n\nSony Pictures Television confirmed the suspension on Tuesday and stated it is recasting Thornton's role while conducting a thorough investigation. [^5]\n\nJim Thornton's attorney, Allison Hart, stated that Thornton mistakenly opened a suicide-prevention advocacy link after losing a family member and did not view any child pornography. [^6]\n\nPhotos published by TMZ showed Thornton's laptop screen displaying what appeared to be a chat forum with disturbing discussions, prompting the passenger to complain to the airline. [^7]\n\nThe investigation was triggered by a complaint from a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Charlotte to Los Angeles on May 14, 2024, who reported seeing Thornton viewing content on his laptop. [^8]",
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