It is news stories like this that explains why the public is so uninformed about anything at all. This is not news. Is this type of coverage what people want? It is shameful to Channel 7 and disrespectful to women who are sexually abused.
This is not news? A contractor with access to MCPS schools is arrested for sexually assaulting students. What part of that is not news?
You prefer the coverage that was given to the Lawrence Joynes arrest? MCPS teacher making porn from student videos in a MCPS classroom - there has been almost no press coverage of that arrest, conviction and upcoming trials. You prefer no coverage?
Glad there is coverage . However why is the reporter following him around. Those three minutes of news time could be better spent on informing people of important issues yet it seems to be almost comical.. I think the news is just giving people what they want .. but that itself is sad.
These precious news minutes could be spent informing people about how to protect themselves, talk to their children.. but you know what.. NO ONE CARES. They only want sensationalized pieces like the above.
Agree. Certainly the Board of Education, County Council, County Executive and Apple Ballot don't care. This is the school system they have created. However, Kevin Lewis is getting this issue on to the evening news and getting it attention. He is changing the conversation and getting people to pay attention. He is doing investigative reporting and forcing our elected officers to at least pretend to take some action. We'll see if they actually do take any action. We'll see if the media attention makes any difference.
If it doesn't we'll go back to the school system that we have had for decades. The one where sexual assaults were covered up, police weren't called, teachers weren't removed from classrooms and students were violated without any prosecution of perpetrators.
As an example of how the media coverage of these recent arrests has already changed things in Montgomery County, just a few months ago when an adult in our school system was arrested for sexually assaulting a student our State's Attorney's office DID NOT REDACT THE VICTIMS NAMES from the public charging documents. That's right, the names of the victims were printed for the world to view in the public documents. Baltimore County doesn't do that. But, here in Montgomery County we didn't care about protecting children.
However, after the media coverage of these recent arrests suddenly children's names are being redacted. Why on earth wasn't that being done before?
http://www.oag.state.md.us/faq.htm What is the difference between the Maryland Attorney General and Local State's Attorneys? The Attorney General is the legal counsel for the State of Maryland. In comparison, State's Attorneys represent each county and Baltimore City and they are responsible for prosecuting crimes against persons and non-state entities. As such, this office provides legal advice and assistance to state agencies and investigates and prosecutes crimes against the state. In Maryland, State's Attorneys are independently elected officials and do not come under the authority or supervision of the Attorney General. The decision to prosecute a criminal case or not, lies within the sound discretion of the State's Attorney.
It can be inferred that the decision to not redact the victims names "lies within the sound discretion of the State's Attorney."
This has nothing to do with the Attorney General's office. Not sure why you are citing that office.
Yes, this has to do with the Montgomery County State's Attorney office that DOES NOT GIVE A _____ ABOUT CHILDREN. You got that right. I have spoken to the Montgomery County State's Attorney for these matters on the phone and heard the horrific response that children's names are not redacted in Montgomery County.
What kind of people do that? Well, that would be people who are MORE INTERESTED in defending accused perpetrators than protecting VICTIMS.
So what happens when a jurisdiction does NOT PROTECT VICTIMS? They don't report. They don't come forward.
Exposing the names of children who are victimized by sexual predators is a great way of keeping families from reporting abuse.
The reason I cited the Attorney General's office URL is because it is there that the difference between the two offices is defined. And I quote: "In Maryland, State's Attorneys are independently elected officials and do not come under the authority or supervision of the Attorney General. The decision to prosecute a criminal case or not, lies within the sound discretion of the State's Attorney." Based on this definition, it is inferred that as locally elected officials they have total discretion on their decisions. And yes, I do agree that they are pro-defendant and anti-victim and that is the sad reality in this county.
It is news stories like this that explains why the public is so uninformed about anything at all. This is not news. Is this type of coverage what people want?
ReplyDeleteIt is shameful to Channel 7 and disrespectful to women who are sexually abused.
This is not news? A contractor with access to MCPS schools is arrested for sexually assaulting students. What part of that is not news?
DeleteYou prefer the coverage that was given to the Lawrence Joynes arrest? MCPS teacher making porn from student videos in a MCPS classroom - there has been almost no press coverage of that arrest, conviction and upcoming trials. You prefer no coverage?
Glad there is coverage . However why is the reporter following him around. Those three minutes of news time could be better spent on informing people of important issues yet it seems to be almost comical..
ReplyDeleteI think the news is just giving people what they want .. but that itself is sad.
These precious news minutes could be spent informing people about how to protect themselves, talk to their children.. but you know what.. NO ONE CARES. They only want sensationalized pieces like the above.
Our society has lost its way.
Hope that clarifies my position.
Agree. Certainly the Board of Education, County Council, County Executive and Apple Ballot don't care. This is the school system they have created. However, Kevin Lewis is getting this issue on to the evening news and getting it attention. He is changing the conversation and getting people to pay attention. He is doing investigative reporting and forcing our elected officers to at least pretend to take some action. We'll see if they actually do take any action. We'll see if the media attention makes any difference.
DeleteIf it doesn't we'll go back to the school system that we have had for decades. The one where sexual assaults were covered up, police weren't called, teachers weren't removed from classrooms and students were violated without any prosecution of perpetrators.
As an example of how the media coverage of these recent arrests has already changed things in Montgomery County, just a few months ago when an adult in our school system was arrested for sexually assaulting a student our State's Attorney's office DID NOT REDACT THE VICTIMS NAMES from the public charging documents. That's right, the names of the victims were printed for the world to view in the public documents. Baltimore County doesn't do that. But, here in Montgomery County we didn't care about protecting children.
DeleteHowever, after the media coverage of these recent arrests suddenly children's names are being redacted. Why on earth wasn't that being done before?
http://www.oag.state.md.us/faq.htm
DeleteWhat is the difference between the Maryland Attorney General and Local State's Attorneys?
The Attorney General is the legal counsel for the State of Maryland. In comparison, State's Attorneys represent each county and Baltimore City and they are responsible for prosecuting crimes against persons and non-state entities. As such, this office provides legal advice and assistance to state agencies and investigates and prosecutes crimes against the state. In Maryland, State's Attorneys are independently elected officials and do not come under the authority or supervision of the Attorney General. The decision to prosecute a criminal case or not, lies within the sound discretion of the State's Attorney.
It can be inferred that the decision to not redact the victims names "lies within the sound discretion of the State's Attorney."
This has nothing to do with the Attorney General's office. Not sure why you are citing that office.
DeleteYes, this has to do with the Montgomery County State's Attorney office that DOES NOT GIVE A _____ ABOUT CHILDREN. You got that right. I have spoken to the Montgomery County State's Attorney for these matters on the phone and heard the horrific response that children's names are not redacted in Montgomery County.
What kind of people do that? Well, that would be people who are MORE INTERESTED in defending accused perpetrators than protecting VICTIMS.
So what happens when a jurisdiction does NOT PROTECT VICTIMS? They don't report. They don't come forward.
Exposing the names of children who are victimized by sexual predators is a great way of keeping families from reporting abuse.
The reason I cited the Attorney General's office URL is because it is there that the difference between the two offices is defined. And I quote:
Delete"In Maryland, State's Attorneys are independently elected officials and do not come under the authority or supervision of the Attorney General. The decision to prosecute a criminal case or not, lies within the sound discretion of the State's Attorney."
Based on this definition, it is inferred that as locally elected officials they have total discretion on their decisions.
And yes, I do agree that they are pro-defendant and anti-victim and that is the sad reality in this county.
Then, they might as well rename it Montgomorrah County.
DeleteThere is no leadership in the state of Maryland, period!
ReplyDeleteOnce our elected officials secure their terms in office, they vanish in the woodwork.