I note that the 32-year old man arrested in connection with the murder of Jo Yeates hasn't been named. Rightly so, but how do the rules work on this?
The treatment by the media of landlord Chris Jefferies - photos that made him look as odd as possible, and lots of irrelevant tittle-tattle from former school pupils etc - was just about as low as British hackery has stooped in recent memory. The broadsheets were as bad as the tabloids too.
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I noticed that myself. Noticed a significant lack of 'buzz' surrounding the arrest, which is exactly how it should be. However, I'm not sure how long it will last.
I wondered how long it would last. About three hours. I guess it's a small improvement over last time they arrested a suspect.
Depressing. Cue gossip and dodgy mugshots...
The British press decided that Chris Jefferies just had to be a murderer because (1) he has slightly strange sticky-up hair and (2) he is said to have an interest in (sharp intake of breath here) foreign art films. If these are the new criteria of guilt in such matters, I suppose I had better turn myself in right away.
How strange and sticky up are we talking, JL? I need to update my mental image of you.
Its still has to be better than its gotten over here. I couldn't beleive what happens when I first arrived.
There are cable channels given over to little more than trials by TV.
And if you are a 'person of interest' then my your god help you. You are pretty much done.
It seems a given that yes every potential juror has seen every dismal detail of the case before them. But thats just a minor element in the jury stacking business, sorry the legal process in the US of A.
Google Nancy Grace
Well, I like to think the total effect is rather Bob Dylan c. 1966. But my nearest and dearest say it's more Parsley the Lion from The Herbs c. 1970.
But he is a LibDem! how weird is that?
And the whole thing was worth the blog post of the year.
http://heresycorner.blogspot.com/2011/01/police-admit-we-havent-cluedo.html
The technique is as follows and has been copied by the media from the 1970 - 1985 plod manual.
Is he a bit dolly dimple, or does he wear corduroy trousers or look like he knows how to change a hard drive or, worse still, drive a Reliant Robin.
Any one of those parameters, on with the cuffs,or in the BBC rolling news case, park a thicko cub reporter outside of the joint and have 'em wave their arms around whilst pontificating. Some days later have one of the six o'clock cluckers announce 'hysterical media attention'
Front page on the tabloids this morning: full-page mugshot and "The Quiet Dutchman".
In Soham Ian Huntley got chummy with the press pack and was briefing them. The revelation of the murderer's identity freaked them out. Since then anyone who does something similar immediately falls under suspicion. Steer well away from the press pack JL and you should be fine (advice that should be generally followed).
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