Bad press
Yellow journalism "is a pejorative reference to journalism that features scandal-mongering sensationalism ... or other unethical or unprofessional practices by news media organizations or individual journalists." William Randolph Hearst would have been proud to publish your June 28 cover story, "Sympathy for the Devils?" by Hal Crowther.
Mr. Crowther seems to believe that the guilt or innocence of the three accused men already has been determined by his view of history rather than by the facts of this case. Factual errors and irresponsible innuendo notwithstanding, the greatest disappointment of this journalistic embarrassment is that a respected, professional, and usually trustworthy newspaper such as the Independent Weekly has devoted its cover story to three pages of venom masquerading as an objective news story.
Although Mr. Crowther has authored several respected books and articles, he has shown a different part of his psyche: that of a venal, angry man, determined to escalate the rhetoric in an issue already overwrought with more accusations than facts, more anger than rationality.
I have faith that, despite its limitations, our system of legal justice will eventually reveal what happened on Buchanan Boulevard on that night in March. I further hope that we can achieve better understanding of the genuine social issues highlighted by this event. Mr. Crowther's irresponsible diatribe serves neither purpose. We can do better than this.
Dean Morgan
Durham
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