tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14345350.post4038580799249106349..comments2024-01-12T07:33:46.615-05:00Comments on Criminal Defense: My Every So Often Rant On The MediaMy Law Licensehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17487117416844299246noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14345350.post-72606842107752713422010-07-15T08:42:15.292-04:002010-07-15T08:42:15.292-04:00Media coverage of criminal justice sucks for many ...Media coverage of criminal justice sucks for many reasons. For starters, the most inexperienced reporters are assigned the police and courts beats as entry level work. Also, larger police and DA's offices have PR staff that control the information and spin given to reporters, who as you say get all their background understanding from Law and Order reruns. Few police beat reporters aggressively use the open records act (there are three in all Texas I'd call "aggressive" on that score, or maybe 2.5), and instead just print what authorities give them in a he-said, she-said fashion.<br /><br />Further, what little training given on covering crime by professional journalism groups (much less universities) relies on materials that emphasize a) sensationalizing victimization and b) casting blame on systemic actors for the behavior of criminals (e.g., critiquing a judge for granting bail to someone who later committed another offense). They're taught that's basically all there is to crime coverage, with the "innocence" trope being the only significant countervailing trend in the other direction, and a recent one at that.<br /><br />OTOH, often criminal defense lawyers won't let their clients talk to the media and themselves resort to confusing legalese which reporters have to interpret. Most people don't know the word "continuance" so reporters must translate to something the public understands, like "delay." What's a better non-jargon term for a continuance? It is one!<br /><br />You can't write things you don't know, and if the state has PR flacks staying "on message" and the defense bar doesn't talk to the press, it's easy to see how a green reporter merely observing the courtroom can make some of the sloppy assessments you mention.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14345350.post-22837061787108293452010-07-02T15:06:36.617-04:002010-07-02T15:06:36.617-04:00"Although Circuit Judge Marc Lubet set Greer&..."Although Circuit Judge Marc Lubet set Greer's trial date, it is likely to change. That's because the case is high-profile, includes a great deal of evidence and involves many witnesses, including party and public officials."<br /><br />http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-jim-greer-trial-date.-20100701,0,5734927.storyRichard Hornsbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05579481469657389948noreply@blogger.com