Allegedly Schmegedly

[graylocks]

i know everyone is innocent until proven guilty and i wouldn't want our laws any other way. BUT. it seems pointless for the news media to keep saying this Jared guy allegedly did the Tucson shooting. everyone knows he did it. he may get a lighter sentence because of mental deficiency but he still did it. so why not just say it? not in all cases - just where a zillion people see the crime committed.

felt this same about Atlanta's courtroom shooter a few years ago.

[cbelt3]

I would expect there is some sort of 'word use rule' in the media rulebook that says they have to say that. Probably to avoid convicting him 'in the media'.

Of course you can ask the Atlanta Olympics 'Not a Bomber' about that one. Richard Jewell.. I think...yup.

[graylocks]

cbelt3 wrote:

Of course you can ask the Atlanta Olympics 'Not a Bomber' about that one. Richard Jewell.. I think...yup.

but no one SAW Richard Jewell set the bomb. i suppose you need a general rule to cover all circumstance but it does appear a stupid two-step in certain cases.

[davester]

Our local paper isn't using "allegedly" or "alleged".

[graylocks]

davester wrote:
Our local paper isn't using "allegedly" or "alleged".

where are you? NPR is definitely using qualifiers.

[mattkime]

graylocks wrote:
[quote=davester]
Our local paper isn't using "allegedly" or "alleged".

where are you? NPR is definitely using qualifiers.
NPR is allegedly using qualifiers.

[Seacrest]

SFgate.com (davester's and my local rag) is using "accused."

Internet and fixating on the end of the world, accused gunman Jared Lee Loughner

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...z1AgBZ7cjb

[(vikm)]

davester wrote:
Our local paper isn't using "allegedly" or "alleged".

I'm no lawyer, but I'm guessing they're opening themselves up to a nice little lawsuit by not doing so. I know, it's a 1 in a trillion chance anything comes of it and they are probably willing to take that chance but...

[(vikm)]

mattkime wrote:
[quote=graylocks]
[quote=davester]
Our local paper isn't using "allegedly" or "alleged".

where are you? NPR is definitely using qualifiers.
NPR is allegedly using qualifiers.
Funny :-)

[davester]

Seacrest wrote:
SFgate.com (davester's and my local rag) is using "accused."

Internet and fixating on the end of the world, accused gunman Jared Lee Loughner

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...z1AgBZ7cjb

That's odd. I specifically remember reading an earlier version that said referred to Loughner as "shooting" Gabby. I thought it unusual that they didn't say "allegedly". Either I had a brain fart or they edited the breaking story to make it more PC.