It's hard to be in the media these days. Just how much information should you print?
A popular blogger in Peoria was a bit upset about how the local newspaper described Peoria's ninth murder of the year.
Sarah Okeson is a fine writer, and filled the story was wonderful imagery:
The smell of bleach that firefighters sprayed on the bloodstained concrete permeated the air. An almost empty Budweiser bottle lay against a nearby curb. The yellow crime tape had been taken down. All the police had left, and a light rain began to fall.
How sad. But add in some details -- supplied by a faithful reader -- and the image one gets is a hardcore banger who died the way he lived. A drug arrest, unlawful use of a weapon, charges of possessing a controlled substance, possessing it with the intent to deliver, resisting arrest, obstructing police, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, possession of less than 2.5 grams of marijuana
A third brother, Gemil Murdock, is serving 24 years after a murder conviction. He's now being housed at Stateville.
All three are poor little misunderstood darlings.
As readers starting posting comments accusations of racism began to fly. Nothing new about that.
It's hard to post the truth about minorities without arguments happening. But what actually gets people upset is the fact that the whole story isn't printed. The good things this particular hell-raser may have done. But there is never enough room for that.
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