Letter: Reporter showed rare sensitivity

Thursday, Sept. 23, 1999 | 9:42 a.m.

He was the driver of the Taurus that crashed on Wyoming Avenue. The crash was put into perspective, and in doing so, may prompt some action to fix a dangerous section of road. You also showed respect for the grieving parents.

Sadly, that was lacking in the R-J's coverage; they lumped this tragedy in with several others, named names and pronounced blame. Our son was the driver; he made a fatal mistake -- we know that, and the parents of his friend know that.

Still, it is nothing shy of horrid to see your dead son accused and "convicted" in the paper, long before any police report has been filed.

I understand that the local TV news-ghouls were even worse; thankfully, we had the good sense not to watch, but we were told by dear friends that what was shown of the mangled death-car was far more than needed to be shown to convey the news that two bright, promising young men had their lives tragically cut short.

We cherish your article -- we did even before the others came out -- and we commend you for your sensitivity, your skill as a journalist and your compassion as a human being.

As a journalism school graduate and former reporter myself, I know what good reporting and writing is; on this tragic story, yours stood head and shoulders above the rest.

NED BARNETT

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