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When a Man Dies in a Sex Act with a Horse -- What's a Reporter to Do?
Editor and Publisher ^

Posted on 08/13/2005 1:23:48 AM PDT by Uncle Joe Cannon

When a Man Dies in a Sex Act with a Horse -- What's a Reporter to Do?

By Lesley Messer

Published: July 18, 2005 10:20 AM ET

NEW YORK How do you report a story about a man who dies while having sex with a horse? With a snigger? Or straight?

Last Friday, the Seattle Times got wind of an Associated Press item about a local man who died after having sex with a horse. "The sheriff's department didn't expect us to report it because it was too gruesome," said Jennifer Sullivan, the Seattle Times staff reporter who would eventually author two stories on the ordeal.

The AP story gave basic facts about the case. It mentioned that the man -- who died of internal bleeding from anal sex with the animal -- died after visiting a farm in nearby Enumclaw that attracted "a significant number of people" looking to engage in bestiality.

Therefore, Sullivan said, "We thought if there was more than one person participating in this, it needed to be reported."

In her first probe, Sullivan wrote that the farm was discussed in Internet chat rooms as a "destination" spot for people looking to have sex with animals. She reported that this prompted an investigation into whether the chickens, goats and sheep on the property had also been victimized.

"We tried to make it as tasteful as possible keeping out the cause of death. As a surprise, I had at least 70 emails from people and the vast majority wanted to know what killed this guy," she said. "So on the second day we had to be more specific."

Although she never reported the man's name, in her second article Sullivan did say that he was 45 years old and added that he died of acute peritonitis due to the perforation of the colon. But because Washington is one of 17 states that does not outlaw bestiality, having sex with a horse is not a crime and his death will not be investigated.

Perhaps the most lurid detail she added, however, was that when they searched the farm, police had found hundreds of hours of videotape showing men having sex with horses. Police are still making sure that sex was not forced on the smaller, weaker animals, thus constituting animal cruelty (which is a crime). Investigators are also checking to see if other crimes like child abuse or rape occurred on the premises.

When asked if the reporting was especially difficult due to the subject matter, Sullivan explained that she's been working on the crime and court beat for the past six years, three of which have been at the Times, and so is rarely shocked by anything anymore. The community of Enumclaw, however, was not braced for this type of scandal.

"People were very, very willing to talk but they almost thought of it as a joke. It was sort of surreal for a lot of people," she said. "I was surprised with how willing the relatives were to talk."

She said that the man's family -- whom she interviewed for the second story -- asked for anonymity, which the newspaper granted. They never suspected that he was involved in bestiality, and were surprised when they learned that he had purchased a thoroughbred stallion earlier in the year, apparently one of a pair he kept at the farm.

Sullivan also spoke with two neighbors -- a husband and wife -- near the farm who had no idea that this kind of activity had been going on. A few days ago, they were shown a tape of men having sex with horses -- one of which belonged to them.

"It was a really rural community," Sullivan explained. "They were pretty devastated."

But so far, despite the subject matter, public response has been positive, she said. She explained that out of the many emails she's received, only one has been negative. Most of them express sympathy to Sullivan for having to write such a horrific story and thank her for leaving out gratuitous aspects, or using phrases like "horsing around."

The two articles also have prompted a local senator to start drawing up a bill that would outlaw bestiality. Sullivan also reported the opinions of a local animal activist who also is calling for reform. Lesley Messer (reporter@editorandpublisher.com) is a reporter for E&P.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: bestiality; journalism
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To: Uncle Joe Cannon
Catherine the Great's descendant?

Some humans are very strange.

41 posted on 08/13/2005 7:01:17 AM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (When I walk into Sanctuary the band plays "Sweet Home Alabama")
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To: Libertina; Fire_Dean_Logan; ShorelineMike; eeman; BADROTOFINGER; Delmont; CDB; franksolich; ...
Thanks, I think, to Clemenza for spotting this. I don't want to read it.


Evergreen State ping

FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this ping list.

Ping sionnsar if you see a Washington state related thread.

42 posted on 08/13/2005 7:07:41 AM PDT by sionnsar (†trad-anglican.faithweb.com† || Trad-Ang Ping: I read the dreck so you don't have to || Iran Azadi)
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To: Uncle Joe Cannon

Oh dear! It appears the horse got to be on top this time. BIG mistake!


43 posted on 08/13/2005 7:15:38 AM PDT by Ditter
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To: Uncle Joe Cannon
"I am wondering how they got the horse to..

Well, he probably thought that looks like the rear end of a CUTE LITTLE PHILLY, instead of A BIG HORSES ASS.

44 posted on 08/13/2005 7:37:17 AM PDT by Spunky ("Everyone has a freedom of choice, but not of consequences.")
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To: Uncle Joe Cannon
I live right outside Enumclaw and worked there in town for some 10 years. There have been published reports and names of men, in the paper there, who were sneaking in to goat pens and having sex with the goats - back then. We used to laugh about it all the time.

It's a good place though. Good people.

45 posted on 08/13/2005 8:18:52 AM PDT by MarMema
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To: sionnsar

Meant to include you in my post....thanks for the ping.


46 posted on 08/13/2005 8:19:23 AM PDT by MarMema
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To: MarMema

This man that had sex with Mr.Ed, Why can't we know his name?
I think there might be a story here.Has anybody seen Mr.gregoire around lately?


47 posted on 08/13/2005 8:42:27 AM PDT by Boazo (From the mind of BOAZO)
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To: Uncle Joe Cannon
In her first probe,

Going above and beyond the call of duty!

48 posted on 08/13/2005 8:42:31 AM PDT by Fog Nozzle
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To: Clemenza
The big story from the perspective of this Washington resident is the fact that BESTIALITY IS LEGAL IN THIS STATE!

A good thing for the liberals in this state; otherwise they'd never get laid.

49 posted on 08/13/2005 8:55:44 AM PDT by connectthedots
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To: Boazo

Instead of being stump broke, stumpy got broke.


50 posted on 08/13/2005 8:59:26 AM PDT by Sybeck1 (chance is the “magic wand to make not only rabbits but entire universes appear out of nothing.”)
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To: Uncle Joe Cannon
But because Washington is one of 17 states that does not outlaw bestiality, having sex with a horse is not a crime and his death will not be investigated.

In Washington, the common law supplements the criminal code. If under the common law, such acts were illegal, and I can't imagine they weren't, such people could actually be prosecuted. ,p. This presents quite a quandry for the peo-homosexual marriage crowd.; one raised by conservative Shristians. if homosexual marriage is allowed, there really would be no justification to make beastiality illegal. Both are condemned by the Bible and virtually all cultures throughout the history of the world.

51 posted on 08/13/2005 9:01:14 AM PDT by connectthedots
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To: Uncle Joe Cannon
Uncle Joe, covering this story would be a cinch for any reporter saddled with the responsibility. But I think Congress should gallop into this mess. Barney Frank should definitely mount an investigation here. Once that boy gets the bit in his teeth there's no stopping him. The thought of a unique sex-related crisis, with which he and his stablemate actually had nothing to do, should spur him into action.

But if a reporter started feeling his oats, his editor should certainly be able to rein him in. After all, if the story is no good, he could always give him the boot, especially if he tried to jockey the story around to some agenda or other.

One other burr under my saddlecloth: How many times did this horse vote for Christine Gregoire? It seems in focusing on this tragic case, the press has locked the barn after the horse was stolen, and definitely after the legit voters of Washington received the same treatment as the deceased caballero.

52 posted on 08/13/2005 9:30:04 AM PDT by Kenny Bunk
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To: BurbankKarl

L O L


53 posted on 08/13/2005 9:44:36 AM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: Kenny Bunk

(LMAO!)

54 posted on 08/13/2005 9:49:30 AM PDT by LongElegantLegs ("Nuthin' ain't worth nuthin', buthttp://www.freerepublic.com/perl/post it's free.")
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To: MarMema

Do you think this may have been the cause of the animal mutilations I remember reading about several times in the past from the Enumclaw area?


55 posted on 08/13/2005 10:35:14 AM PDT by bigfootbob
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To: A CA Guy
"No means NO!"

Indeed.

A neigh also means "NAY!"

56 posted on 08/13/2005 11:01:33 AM PDT by x
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To: Uncle Joe Cannon
I am wondering how they got the horse to... oh, maybe there are some things you are just better off not knowing.

LOL! ... I agree!

57 posted on 08/13/2005 1:17:43 PM PDT by Kramster (" You can't confuse me ... that's my job.")
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To: Uncle Joe Cannon
"When a Man Dies in a Sex Act with a Horse -- What's a Reporter to Do?"

Report it?


After he pulls his pants up? Some reporters might have been next in line.
Not that I have little respect for most reporters …
58 posted on 08/13/2005 1:21:18 PM PDT by R. Scott (Humanity i love you because when you're hard up you pawn your Intelligence to buy a drink.)
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To: Uncle Joe Cannon

I don't even like the doc's finger once a year.


59 posted on 08/13/2005 1:22:32 PM PDT by R. Scott (Humanity i love you because when you're hard up you pawn your Intelligence to buy a drink.)
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To: Uncle Joe Cannon
How do you report a story about a man who dies while having sex with a horse? With a snigger? Or straight?

Based on this specific story, I would say reporting it "straight" is out of the question.

60 posted on 08/13/2005 2:13:21 PM PDT by sharktrager (My life is like a box of chocolates, but someone took all the good ones.)
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