Media's Role in BTK Case Scrutinized

LATimes ^ | Today | P.J. Huffstutter and Stephanie Simon

[jcb8199]

WICHITA, Kan. — From the day the news broke of BTK's existence more than 30 years ago, the media have played a key role in the investigation.

Journalists passed on communications from the serial killer to authorities, often honoring police requests to suppress information. They served as a mouthpiece for BTK.

Now that a suspect has been charged, some of those journalists are examining the choices they made.

"I have regrets for holding things back," said Hurst Laviana, a staff writer at the Wichita Eagle. His story about the anniversary of the killings has been credited with BTK resurfacing after a quarter-century of silence. The killer called himself BTK to describe his method: bind, torture, kill.

"I wonder now whether we did the right thing, of editing the evidence," Laviana said. "Would the police have been able to find a suspect sooner? Did we do the public a disservice?"

This week, the Eagle and KAKE-TV — an ABC affiliate — revealed communications they had kept hidden. The evidence BTK sent to news outlets included a doll with a bag over its head and its hands tied behind its back, postcards that seemed to refer to packages from the killer and a puzzle filled with clues to his identity.

The puzzle was part of a package sent last year to KAKE. Hidden in it were the numbers "6220" and the letters "DRADER." Suspect Dennis L. Rader's house address was 6220.

[jcb8199]

"I wonder now whether we did the right thing, of editing the evidence," Laviana said. "Would the police have been able to find a suspect sooner? Did we do the public a disservice?"

Gee, ya think? Considering The puzzle was part of a package sent last year to KAKE. Hidden in it were the numbers "6220" and the letters "DRADER." Suspect Dennis L. Rader's house address was 6220.

[ikka]

What would be the motive for not publishing the info and scooping others?

[lOKKI]

The press, in its arrogance, made an independent judgment as to the value of evidence received from the killer, and decided not to pass it along to the police.

It is now clear that the reporter was both arrogant AND stupid.

[layman]

IMO the media did it right ... it should be the police making the decisions. Mistakes may or may not have been made, but the police are more qualified to make the call than are the media in a criminal investigation.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

The press, in its arrogance, made an independent judgment as to the value of evidence received from the killer, and decided not to pass it along to the police.

That's the problem with merely skimming over an article before posting a comment.