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Family gets wish in sibling slaying: leniency

Right Wing Wacko

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Aug 11, 2007
Messages
645
Location
Marysville, Washington, USA
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From the Seattle Times:


"I think this is a case where justice needs to be tempered with mercy," McCarthy said before he sentenced Jordan to 24 months of home detention, followed by probation when he will be required to give speeches on gun control.
I don't know all the particulars of the case, but the community service portion of this sentence bothers me!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003885617_shooting15m.html
 

John Hardin

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Jul 29, 2007
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683
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Snohomish, Washington, USA
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"... required to give speeches on gun control" is apparently the AP stringer's bias coming through. The KING-5 and Columbian accounts from the AP wire both say "speeches on gun control", while other accounts (KOMO TV, Seattle PI) say "Judge McCarthy also ordered Jordan to spend time in the community teaching other young people about the danger of playing with guns" and "McCarthy also ordered the boy to speak with other youths about the dangers of firearms."

Unfortunately I can't locate an online transcript of the sentencing hearing, and I'm not willing to pony up $15 for a copy...

It takes a leftmedia goodthink filter to translate "the dangers of firearms" into "gun control", I suppose.

Wrote 'em a letter:

Ms. Sullivan, Mr. Stanton:

I just read the article "Family gets wish in sibling slaying: leniency" online.

In reference to the description of the sentence the judge handed down - 24 months of home detention, followed by probation when Jordan Jantoc will be required to give speeches on gun control - I find I must question your reporting and point out a possible inaccuracy.

Other accounts of the sentencing hearing report Judge McCarthy ordering "the boy to speak with other youths about the dangers of firearms" (KOMO TV) and "Jordan to spend time in the community teaching other young people about the danger of playing with guns" (Seattle PI).

Further research shows that other news outlets using the AP wire (KING-5, the Columbian, 570 KLF) also report the sentence includes giving "speeches on gun control". Are you using the AP wire, or feeding it?

Unfortunately I have been unable to locate online any transcripts of the sentencing hearing so that I could see the judge's exact words for myself.

If the judge did indeed direct Jordan Jantoc to give speeches on the dangers of firearms, then it is unwarranted and misleading for you to translate that into speeches on "gun control" in your reporting. Giving speeches or lectures about the dangers of firearms is _not_ the same thing as giving speeches about "gun control". One is a safety matter, the other is political. The difference is nontrivial, and important. Making such a translation in your reporting would show you have a bias when it comes to firearms, a bias that is more important to you than accurate reporting of the facts.

So, what exactly did Judge McCarthy actually say when he sentenced Jordan Jantoc?
 

sv_libertarian

State Researcher
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
3,201
Location
Olympia, WA, ,
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John Hardin wrote:
"... required to give speeches on gun control" is apparently the AP stringer's bias coming through. .."


Could be, saw the same article in The Olympian and am pretty sure it was off the AP wire. I hate stuff off the wire because local press has so little control over how it is worded... and most of the time it is not worth their while to have a staff writer cover the event.
 
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