Comments on: Unusual “Predator” battle between NBC, ABC hits the air http://www.lostremote.com/2007/09/10/unusual-predator-battle-between-nbc-abc-hits-the-air/ Where TV Finds the Future Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:36:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: kevin http://www.lostremote.com/2007/09/10/unusual-predator-battle-between-nbc-abc-hits-the-air/#comment-492044 kevin Sun, 16 Sep 2007 00:21:18 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2007/09/10/unusual-predator-battle-between-nbc-abc-hits-the-air/#comment-492044 if the man had nothing to hide, why did he kill himself? as an assistant da, he should be used to cameras and press coverage. i've watched the dateline pieces, and they make sure the intent is there through chat logs, phone conversations, etc before pouncing. do you really think any of these people drove all the way over to a strangers house to warn them that there are predators on the internet? (the most common excuse for being there). i don't think you can lay this death at the feet of the media as a whole or dateline. the man obviously had issues or suicide would not have been an option. if the man had nothing to hide, why did he kill himself? as an assistant da, he should be used to cameras and press coverage. i’ve watched the dateline pieces, and they make sure the intent is there through chat logs, phone conversations, etc before pouncing. do you really think any of these people drove all the way over to a strangers house to warn them that there are predators on the internet? (the most common excuse for being there).

i don’t think you can lay this death at the feet of the media as a whole or dateline. the man obviously had issues or suicide would not have been an option.

]]> By: Thomas Austin http://www.lostremote.com/2007/09/10/unusual-predator-battle-between-nbc-abc-hits-the-air/#comment-488449 Thomas Austin Wed, 12 Sep 2007 23:57:05 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2007/09/10/unusual-predator-battle-between-nbc-abc-hits-the-air/#comment-488449 The great police writer once compared news reporters to hookers. His point was that they create their own news. Many insiders with newspapers and magazines agree with this also. Running a sting is one of the most dangerous things you can do. A respected member of the community who is cornered is likely to suicide, and in some cases, kill an officer. The fact that these people mishandled evidence and caused cases to be thrown out is something that should cost them time in jail, a healthy fine, or a guilty verdict in civil court. The cavalier treatment by those responsible of the man who killed himself was a tragedy. Officers have a different way of doing things that often leads to help and counseling for the offender. Whatever the man did, he did not need to be cornered into a fatal self-inflicted wound. I know of several newsmen who helped the police and acted in the right way when information was given to them. Sadly, their number are few. Most reporters, with a small exception, always lied and misquoted officers until they received very little cooperation from the police. They rank somewhere below the cockroach on the food chain, but that is just one man's opinion. The great police writer once compared news reporters to hookers. His point was that they create their own news. Many insiders with newspapers and magazines agree with this also.
Running a sting is one of the most dangerous things you can do. A respected member of the community who is cornered is likely to suicide, and in some cases, kill an officer.
The fact that these people mishandled evidence and caused cases to be thrown out is something that should cost them time in jail, a healthy fine, or a guilty verdict in civil court.
The cavalier treatment by those responsible of the man who killed himself was a tragedy.
Officers have a different way of doing things that often leads to help and counseling for the offender. Whatever the man did, he did not need to be cornered into a fatal self-inflicted wound.
I know of several newsmen who helped the police and acted in the right way when information was given to them. Sadly, their number are few.
Most reporters, with a small exception, always lied and misquoted officers until they received very little cooperation from the police. They rank somewhere below the cockroach on the food chain, but that is just one man’s opinion.

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