By Bill O'Reilly

Last week "The Factor" reported on a bias assault in Norfolk that left two newspaper reporters injured. Shortly after 11 pm on April 14th, 26 year-old Marjon Rostami and 31-year-old David Forster were coming home from the theater when someone threw a rock at their vehicle. Mr. Forster got out to confront the assailant and was set upon by approximately five African-American young men who beat him.

The thugs then attacked Ms. Rostami as a crowd of about 30 surrounded the vehicle and witnessed the assault. Hysterical, Miss Rostami called 911 and the police arrived.

The initial police report described the assault as a bias crime and a 16-year-old has been arrested. But now, the Norfolk police say it was not a bias crime and are refusing to release the 911 tape saying that would hurt their investigation. How? How could that be possible?

In addition, both victims have filed complaints against the Norfolk Police Department alleging the investigation was mishandled and the cops didn't really want to arrest the assailants or even find them. At the same time the newspaper the reporters work for, "The Virginian Pilot", didn't cover the story for two weeks. Despite the fact the reporters had to take a week off from work to deal with their wounds.

The editor of the "Pilot" Denis Finley declined to be interviewed by me but did talk to Jesse Watters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FINLEY: This story has been blown out of proportion. And that's not to diminish the fact that I had two reporters who got beaten. But what it amounts to is a... a street altercation, not a mob attack. No evidence too that it was a racial attack. So...

WATTERS: We spoke to some people today who said that, you know, there may have been some Trayvon Martin retribution. You had people on ABC saying that when people come around this neighborhood that aren't from this neighborhood, they better watch out. You know, if you have black mobs, five or six people beating up white people, you don't think that the community deserves to know that?

FINLEY: Well, was it a black mob or was it a street altercation? There were a handful of people.

WATTERS: Your own reporters said that it was about 30 people on the street.

FINLEY: On the street, yes. But a handful involved in the fight. A handful.

WATTERS: But they were outmanned by quite a considerable amount of people.

FINLEY: Sure, sure.

WATTERS: And a woman was attacked.

FINLEY: A woman was involved. But again a simple assault, it was not a mob attack. And there is no way for me to know whether it was racially- motivated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: Well here is some advice to Mr. Finley, it's your job to find out whether it was racially-motivated. That's what the press does. You don't sit around wondering and ignoring the story. That's absurd.

It didn't take long for Jesse to find neighborhood guys who say they saw what happened when the two reporters were assaulted.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WATTERS: How many guys came after him? Like five or six or all 15?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think all of them.

WATTERS: You saw it happen?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

WATTERS: And they were whooping up on the girl, too right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

WATTERS: She didn't really deserve it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

WATTERS: Was is a racial thing like a Trayvon Martin situation?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: Now, the story gets even more disturbing. The victims Miss Rostami and Mr. Forster have received death threats and had to leave the Norfolk area for a time. They now have security guards providing protection because the situation is so volatile.

In the face of all this Virginia's Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli says his office will not intervene or even provide oversight. Cuccinelli also says he will not ask that the 911 tape be released. Since the victims have filed formal charges against the Norfolk Police Department, we're obviously having trouble getting a handle on the case, we find the attorney general's apathy troubling to say the least.

So we called Virginia Governor Bob McDonald who late this afternoon said he would take a look at the case. The Governor has the power to order a state investigation which this situation badly needs.

Finally, unlike the Trayvon Martin situation, which the national media aggressively covered, "The Factor" is the only national news program reporting the story. Yes, Trayvon was killed and these two reporters are alive. But it is inconceivable that had a white mob set upon two black Americans the media would sit it out. But that's what's happening in the Virginia case.

And that's "The Memo."

Now for the "Top Story" tonight, a debriefing of Jesse Watters who joins us now.

All right, the two reporters who got beat up.

WATTERS: Yes.