While I do realize that it is the job of a local paper to report the news, I fail to understand why it must be reported with a slant to create sensationalism where in reality there is only sadness.
Last Tuesday, Nov. 25, you reported on the death of my nephew, Zachary England. You have stated, as a rebuttal to many letters that have been written to you about this article, that the information your reporter obtained could be found in the police report and that it is available to the public.
Is there some reason why the reporter did not report the names of the people who were cited as the information sources, the "man" and his "sister"? Weren't their names in the report? Did it occur to the reporter that since this was an open investigation that maybe, just maybe, these people may be suspects and that maybe, just maybe, their version of the events that happened that night might be skewed? After all, it is procedure for the police to interview everyone associated with an incident, sort the details given and determine the facts. This hasn't happen yet as this is still an open investigation, which means they are still gathering and sorting information.
Has your reporter ever heard of the term perjury? This happens when people lie to cover themselves. Just a thought.
You also made the statement that prescription drugs where found in Zach's car, implying that there was something wrong with this. Is it illegal to have prescription drugs? After all, they were Zach's and they were prescribed by a doctor. Again, I ask, why the sensationalism? Slow day for news?
This article hurt my family. It was published the day we were mourning Zach. His mother first found out about the article from an acquaintance of Zach's who was standing in line to pay her respects. His mom didn't even know her. You see, this kind lady said that she didn't believe a word of what was written in the article as she knew Zach as a kind and caring person who always greeted her with, "Hi, Beautiful." She was just one of over 1,000 people who came to do the same thing that very night.
I know Zach wasn't a saint and I'm not going to pretend he was, but he was a kind and caring young man who did not deserve to have his name dragged through the mud by a reporter using less than reliable unnamed sources. The implications and innuendo that were created by the reporter were just morally wrong. While I do realize that you must report the news, I would hope that you would print it honestly and fairly. Cite your sources and use their names. State the facts and leave the sensationalism to the tabloids.
As a last note, here is one fact that you can print that cannot be disputed. Zach England was loved by his entire family very much and our lives without him will never be the same.
