tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post4545594236306204656..comments2024-03-28T00:50:16.901-05:00Comments on Life at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center: Houston's NewspaperMurray Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00662196272138109874noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-90830878356972429022008-05-18T21:04:00.000-05:002008-05-18T21:04:00.000-05:00** The piece you miss in this analyis is that it w...** The piece you miss in this analyis is that it would be irresponsible for the major daily in Houston NOT to cover the death penalty extensively or examine the statistical implications of the DA's capital punishment decisions and policies. **<BR/><BR/>Fine, but that's far different than the regular installments of the Chron Eye for the Death Row Killer Guy.<BR/><BR/>Not every death row killer is a saint who was unjustly convicted by The Man -- not that you would always know it from reading the Chronicle under Mr. Kathryn Kase's leadership.Kevin Whitedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16224281546194611975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-41707904969104204522008-05-11T07:44:00.000-05:002008-05-11T07:44:00.000-05:00BTW, speaking of death penalty statistics, I crunc...BTW, speaking of death penalty statistics, I crunched a few of my own <A HREF="http://gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2008/05/as-execution-dates-resume-how-many-on.html" REL="nofollow">in this post</A>. See also a comparison of that estimate to "innocence" estimates in non-capital felonies by a prosecutor, <A HREF="http://gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2008/05/counting-innocent-discussion-of.html" REL="nofollow">here</A>.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps I'm just defending statistical analysis of the justice system because I so frequently indulge in it! best,Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-58705502510280407442008-05-11T07:28:00.000-05:002008-05-11T07:28:00.000-05:00Actually, Cameron Willingham is the one I think is...Actually, Cameron Willingham is the one I think is most likely to have been innocent, though there's no remaining evidence (after the sole witness recanted) on Ruben Cantu, the case you mentioned, either. Willingham's was an arson case where he was convicted based on bad, old forensic science and the CCA and Perry wouldn't accept changed forensic standards as "new evidence," see <A HREF="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/na/chi-0412090169dec09,1,5227957,full.story" REL="nofollow">this Chicago Tribune story</A>.<BR/><BR/>For my part, I don't consider there to be a great difference in what reporters do and bloggers, except they've learned techniques to feign "objectivity" that you and I don't bother with. IMO we'd all be better off if the press just admitted its biases instead of going out of its way to conceal them or pretend they know or even try to report "all the news." best,Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-82853184967223892662008-05-06T19:55:00.000-05:002008-05-06T19:55:00.000-05:00Grits,I'm not saying that they shouldn't do an art...Grits,<BR/>I'm not saying that they shouldn't do an article on the death penalty and point out any findings that they have about wrong-doing in the process. What I object to is the things that they leave out, or intentionally mislead about.<BR/><BR/>You and I can blog our hearts out about our positions on the death penalty, but when I pick up my newspaper, I'd like to read news. All of the news.<BR/><BR/>In regards to your statement that you think someone in Texas has been executed who was factually innocent, are you referring to the case under scrutiny from San Antonio, or just basing it on the law of averages?Murray Newmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00662196272138109874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-46855382856399545482008-05-05T09:55:00.000-05:002008-05-05T09:55:00.000-05:00The piece you miss in this analyis is that it woul...The piece you miss in this analyis is that it would be irresponsible for the major daily in Houston NOT to cover the death penalty extensively or examine the statistical implications of the DA's capital punishment decisions and policies.<BR/><BR/>Last year Texas accounted for more than 60% of executions nationally. Harris County, which has 1/4 of Texas' population, accounts for about half of Texas executions.<BR/><BR/>Thus Harris County's execution policies are almost singlehandedly responsible for driving the stratospheric numbers that place the frequency of US death sentences in the sole company of communist and totalitarian dictatorships. That fact has implications far beyond Houston, even including how the nation (and the city) is viewed across the world.<BR/><BR/>Given that, not to mention the crime lab problems that make it entirely possible an innocent or two may number among the executed, are the reason the Chron covers the story, not animosity for Kelly Siegler, for heavens sake (get over it already, she's history!). Other than simply issue fawning praise for the DA's office or editorializing that KS is inarguably the greatest lawyer on the planet (and possibly in the history of barristers), I have a hard time understanding what you'd have them do differently.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-59392887150355314352008-05-05T09:07:00.000-05:002008-05-05T09:07:00.000-05:00Best part of the Chronicle is its Business and Spo...Best part of the Chronicle is its Business and Sports section. If you're looking for news, go elsewhere. If you ever read a hard copy of the paper you realize that their city and state section (cleverly combined to mask the fact that they have very little local reporting) is usually about 2.5 pages... just as many as their obit section. <BR/><BR/>On a separate note: news papers were originally designed to be agenda driven, and I don't mean Hearst and his yellow-journalism era. Prior to that, most presidents had a party paper (Andrew Jackson lost his first election attempt- and was told his lack of a paper is one of the key factors that hurt him- a mistake he remedied).<BR/><BR/>The modern 'impartial' paper was born as an attempt to increase readership by appealing to a broader audience. Having said that, it has become the axiom of journalists that they try remain unbiased. We all are, but the goal is to do your best to be fair and leave your personal feelings out of your story.<BR/><BR/>Sometimes I wonder if we'd all be better off if we were just more honest about the biases and allowed the readers to make up their own minds.Kesehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17447485131691627862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-10156035145920774872008-05-04T21:40:00.000-05:002008-05-04T21:40:00.000-05:00The Chron would have to strive to achieve pathetic...The Chron would have to strive to achieve pathetic status. At least the New York Times will break an original story. The Chronicle simply regurgitates what other newspapers have already written. Most of its stories are from the AP wire. Even stories that take place in its back yard. <BR/><BR/>The only time the Chron will attempt to put together an original thought is when it seeks to bash the DA's Office, or promote its anti-death penalty and "hug a thug" agenda. And so others don't take this post as "sour grapes," I am a big fan of the Houston Press and its willingness to break new stories, even though it can never be called the voice box for the DA's office. Simply put, the Chron is the worst newspaper that serves a major metropolitan area.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566778230970156239.post-32473054933164588112008-05-04T19:52:00.000-05:002008-05-04T19:52:00.000-05:00"I've never seen a newspaper that fought so hard t..."I've never seen a newspaper that fought so hard to curb it."<BR/><BR/>Allow me to introduce you to the New York Times, the mother of all news media that is liberal and whiney.<BR/><BR/>TexAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com