BULLETIN BOARD WEEK 8
| Over 46,000 Hits |
| When the State of Alabama filed a petition for writ of mandamus, it was mentioned only in passing by the press. "Valeska's accusations," as the Daily calls it, were not newsworthy. When the Court of Criminal Appeals made their ruling three weeks ago, "ordering" Judge Glenn Thompson to explain why he gave dwm a new trial, the Decatur Daily waited five days and focused on the one dissenting judge of the five. When "Tipton Judge" Glenn Thompson responded, they gave immediate coverage, with emphasis on the claim dwm should have been set free. But when Sherman Powell, Jr. and Catherine Halbrooks made their response to the State's petition, here's what they got: |
| When the defense lawyers make accusations, they get front-page (misleading) headline full-blown coverage like this. They've gotten it all along, and it is guaranteed to continue. It gives a widely-circulated, unopposed public platform for the defense lawyers to sway public opinion and to unduly, improperly, and unethically influence a potential jury pool in a capital murder trial. It also gives the Decatur Daily the chance to promote the Tipton story, the Tipton case, the Tipton slaying, the Tipton trial--in short, they can be sleazy, exploitative, and dishonest, at the expense of the victim and her survivors. They can continue their profoundly biased coverage of everything to do with Karen's death. The Daily and the defense lawyers have a common goal: to further exploit and abuse the Tiptons. There is one document in the SOA v DWM the Daily hasn't mentioned at all--the State's response to Thompson's "explanation," the counterpart of the defense accusations trumpeted today. But that's not covered in the news. At all. Instead, what is newsworthy are allegations regarding the past sexual behavior of the victim. In today's Daily assault on Karen, I counted 5 overtly false statements, 4 more very misleading statements, and that's without counting quotes of 5 more occasions of FBI error and 6 of FBI stupidity. And all covered under the rape shield law, which says if the defense lawyers want to offer any of this into evidence, it's to be presented to the Court in camera. It doesn't say ON CAMERA. It is evidence that the defense team is overtly unethical, and is improperly releasing confidential, protected information. Further evidence, I might add. |
Chris Bell has apparently awakened long enough to add his quotes of Sheryl Marsh
quoting Catherine Halbrooks quoting two FBI agents misquoting Mike Pettey quoting
various persons of varying credibility allegedly quoting things Karen and I have said.
The claims--all having to do with allegations regarding Karen's past sexual behavior--are
taken utterly out of context, are untrue, and are highly offensive to all who knew and
loved Karen. They are another sleazy, calculated attack by the defense lawyers,
gleefully sanctioned by the Daily and the Times. To them, this is what makes Karen's
murder a "good story"--exploiting, sensationalizing, and attacking the private lives of the
victims.
The sleaze factor is brought to you courtesy of Judge Glenn Thompson, without
whom none of this is possible.
quoting Catherine Halbrooks quoting two FBI agents misquoting Mike Pettey quoting
various persons of varying credibility allegedly quoting things Karen and I have said.
The claims--all having to do with allegations regarding Karen's past sexual behavior--are
taken utterly out of context, are untrue, and are highly offensive to all who knew and
loved Karen. They are another sleazy, calculated attack by the defense lawyers,
gleefully sanctioned by the Daily and the Times. To them, this is what makes Karen's
murder a "good story"--exploiting, sensationalizing, and attacking the private lives of the
victims.
The sleaze factor is brought to you courtesy of Judge Glenn Thompson, without
whom none of this is possible.