Friday, August 25, 2023

Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times post rare mugshot pic

The Chicago Tribune has a stated policy of rarely publishing mugshots. 

From that paper in 2021:

Part of this is just plain fairness. A lot of people who are arrested will end up not being convicted. Some will be found not guilty or won’t go to trial at all. Some will plead guilty to lesser charges, even misdemeanors, instead of the ones that put their names in the news. Readers may associate law enforcement booking photos with criminal activity; their use might imply guilt of individuals who are, by law, considered innocent until proven guilty.
The Trib does make a schadenfreude exception, in regard to public officials, or former ones. In this case, Donald J. Trump, who is hardly expected to carjack someone in Chicago. 

Unstated, as far as I can tell, is a similar policy at the Chicago Sun-Times.

Of course, the Trib and the Sun-Times have posted Donald Trump's mugshot.

Tragically, I believe Chicago is awash with career criminals. Yes, I get it and then some, innocent until proven guilty. But many accused criminals are caught while out on bail, on probation, or have prior criminal records. 

Then there is this guy, for whom CWB Chicago has posted this mugshot of a man, who was caught allegedly crawling into a North Side woman's apartment earlier this month. He has been arrested eight times since March. 

What about protecting the public?

No comments: