Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Guilty until proven innocent

In the U.S. we are told we are guilty until proven innocent, when accused of a crime. Is this still true once the media grabs the story? If you look at the Duke Rape case, you find out most of the life stories of the accused. The media will continue to dig and dig until every one in America will know their faces and what they are accused of. The problem starts, because even if cleared of the charges people will remember the charge and relate them to it. This relationship will follow them forever. I am not saying I feel sorry for the Duke students or saying they are innocent or guilty,I am just using them as an example. The media, in it's ever continuing search for ratings, brands people guilty once they are accused and offers very little in trying to correct the damage it does. Wouldn't the responsible thing to do be to withhold the names of both victim and accused until a verdict is reached?

2 comments:

primal said...

Responsible journalism? You're kidding, right? The American media doesn't give a damn about responsible journalism. All they care about is their precious "freedom of the press". They're nothing more than a pack of vultures. You know, if vultures traveled in packs and could type.

Seven Seas said...

True, the media has sold it's soul and fallen to the level of lawyers and politicians.