Something's bothering me about the Muhammad Sniper verdict coverage. . .

Vanity | 11/17/2003 | Self

[Salgak]

. . .driving home this afternoon, I heard the good news: John Muhammad, the older of the DC Snipers, was convicted on all four counts, and the jury is now going on to the penalty phase, where they will determine whether he gets executed or spends the rest of his life at taxpayer expense.

But what was bothering me was THIS: EVEN AFTER he was convicted, all the newsies kept referring to him as "DC Sniper SUSPECT". . .

I'd say that, now that 12 of his peers have found him guilty of one count of Capital Murder, One count of Murder in an Act of Terrorism, and two other counts, he's not a suspect any more. . .

I really tire of newsies trying to be "fair" far beyond a reasonable doubt. How about the rest of you out there in Freeperland ????

[Doctor Stochastic]

One need not say suspect after conviction. There is no longer any presumption of innocence. It's probably just inertia.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

I believe the legal responsibility to not smear the name of the accused ends when there's a guilty verdict. I think this is liberalism run a-muck.

[Palladin]

This just proves the ignorance and laziness of the current crop of publc-schooled newsies.

[Cicero]

I suspect they are used to sitting down near the beginning of a story and working out what the politically correct language is. Maybe they consult the latest Language Police Bulletin, just as they used to consult their newspaper's style sheet. But after you've learned the ropes you seldom have to pull out the style sheet or bulletin, since it becomes second nature to follow them.

So, they never have to think about it again. I'd say inertia, too.

[sultan88]

I just heard the local Richmond news broadcast and they called him "Sniper John Mohammed" without the "suspect" adjective.

[Sabertooth]

I'd say that, now that 12 of his peers have found him guilty of one count of Capital Murder, One count of Murder in an Act of Terrorism, and two other counts, he's not a suspect any more. . .

John Muhummad is a convicted Muslim terrorist.

Now is the time to expose his connections to Jamaat al Fuqra, the American Muslim terrorist org implicated in the 1993 WTC bombing, and founded by Sheikh Gilani, a Pakistani terror lord and a mentor of Osama bin Laden.

[RebelBanker]

I heard it too. Sounds like habit more than anything else.

[auboy]

Many of today's "reporters" are from a parallel universe. Or I should say, a perpendicular one - a universe completely devoid of common sense and decency. I think it's called Liberalamous.

[AdamSelene235]

The BBC refers to him as Ex-Soldier.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Can back this up, too. They're taught from high school journalism to use gender neutral, pc language.

[tbpiper]

I think is news speak inirtia. They've been calling him 'sniper suspect' so long, it's part of his name.

[Michael81Dus]

The BBC refers to him as Ex-Soldier.

The military will be thankful during the next war, when the BBC wants to get some "embedded journalists seats" again.

However, if he was a Marine, he still is a Marine. According to Freepers: Once a Marine, always a Marine! - In this case: NOT!

[Cobra64]

They're taught from high school journalism to use gender neutral, pc language.

Yup. I roll my eyes when someone refers to Mrs. Jones as "chairperson." If she is a female, she should be referred to as "ChairWoman." This PC stuff is out of hand.

Even our Pastor is doing this. I called him on it, and he said he did not want to offend anyone. I told him that since I chaired the Building Committe, I was to be referred to as ChairMAN; my wife was chair of another committee, and she was to be reffered to as ChairWOMAN.

Sheesh!

[american spirit]

I already know the answer but I'll ask this question anyway....was the hate crime element for any of the murders ever introduced at all in this case?

[Salgak]

Nope. But then the Snipers' victims were pretty much all across the ethnic spectrum: White, Black, Latino, Asian/Indian

[NavyCaptain]

Amen, brother!

[Procyon]

However, if he was a Marine, he still is a Marine. According to Freepers: Once a Marine, always a Marine!

He was Army.

[Cobra64]

I agree. You're preaching to the choir.

I was drawing reasonable middle ground for arguments against Gloria Stenam and her N.O.W. ilk.

Until I met my wife, I was a M.C.P.; and still have the neck-tie.