Sunday, January 28, 2007

Sheehan knows she knows

Will Raleigh News & Observer columnist Ruth Sheehan do what she demands others to do: “Speak honestly and admit when you wrong?

Let’s see.
______________________________________________


Dear Ms. Sheehan:

Ten months ago you wrote a column (“Team’s Silence is Sickening”) savaging 46 Duke students for doing nothing more than following the advice of their parents and attorneys. You began:

Members of the Duke men's lacrosse team: You know.

We know you know.

Whatever happened in the bathroom at the stripper party gone terribly, terribly bad, you know who was involved. Every one of you does.

And one of you needs to come forward and tell the police.
Do not be afraid of retribution on the team. Do not be persuaded that somehow this "happened" to one or more "good guys."
After that, your column got even worse.

That was March 27, 2006.

Later that day, for the first time, Durham DA Mike Nifong spoke publicly about the students.

Like you, Nifong attacked them in terms that reminded thoughtful citizens of how the late Sen. McCarthy attacked people and denigrated their constitutional rights.

Most people initially endorsed what you and Nifong were saying.

Others, such as Duke’s president, Richard H. Brodhead, calculated their best course was to say nothing critical of you or Nifong.

Instead, Brodhead-types made statements similar to what President Brodhead himself said shortly thereafter:
”Whatever they did was bad enough.”
But as the public learned more about the students and Nifong, it got harder to convince people that “Whatever they did was bad enough.”

By June sensible people recognized the truth of what Duke Law professor James Coleman said in his letter to the N&O:
According to the police account of the identification, however, the police officer who presided over the proceedings told the alleged victim at the outset that he wanted her to look at people the police had reason to believe attended the party.

Thus, the police not only failed to include people they knew were not suspects among the photographs shown the woman, they told the witness in effect that there would be no such "fillers" among the photographs she would see.

This strongly suggests that the purpose of the identification process was to give the alleged victim an opportunity to pick three members of the lacrosse team who could be charged. Any three students would do; there could be no wrong choice.
You knew Coleman was describing a frame-up. You knew we knew.

So a few days later you wrote a column blaming Nifong for your Mar. 27 column:
”To think that for a brief moment I [,Raleigh News & Observer columnist Ruth Sheehan,] actually pitied Nifong for the attacks on his handling of the case. What a joke.

Nifong is the one who described this thing in such incendiary terms from the start that it was impossible to ignore.
But, Ms. Sheehan, your Mar. 27 “Team’s Silence is Sickening” column appeared BEFORE Nifong started publicly attacking the students. It went online shortly after midnight; and a print version was delivered to Durham driveways around 5 A.M. Nifong had plenty of time to read it before he first spoke to the press later that day.

All of the above leads to two obvious questions:

1) Considering he didn't speak publicly until after your column appeared, aren't you misleading readers when you tell them all the slimes in your Mar. 27 were based on what he said?

or

2) Did Nifong or someone you trusted would tell you accurately what he was saying provide you with “background information” BEFORE you wrote your Mar. 27 column? In that case, while you’d still bear the heaviest responsibility for the column, you’d have some grounds for telling readers Nifong was also to blame for it.

Please answer the questions.

You know the answers. You know you know.

Just so we’re absolutely clear about Nifong: I’ve said for months he should be disbarred and tried. But odious as he is, he shouldn’t be blamed for your enablements or for those of others.

Finally, at your Metro Blog you posted some of my writing and linked back to my blog. While that usually calls for a "thank you," I want instead to urge you to do some things that will be very important and helpful to many innocent people who’ve suffered great injustices.

Please retract both your Mar. 27 and your Apr. 3 “Lacrosse team out of control” columns. Then apologize to the students, their families, Coach Pressler and his wife and young children. An apology is also owed your readers.

If you do those things unconditionally and free of any blaming of others, you will have provided what restorative justice you can to those most injured by the witch hunt to which your columns made such a significant contribution.

You will also have given your readers some assurance that truth, justice and their trust are important to you.

And you will have acted as you often tell us you want others to act, including your three young sons.

Sincerely,

John in Carolina
www.johnincarolina.com

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

You do McCarthy a disservice. As bad as he was he could not approach the levels of nifongian filth.

Anonymous said...

Why is it important to Ruth Sheehan to continue to blame Nifong for her early rush-to-judgment.

Yes... Nifong has been horrible.

But as has been pointed out, Sheehan wrote her first incendiary article before Nifong had spoken a single word.

Why does it appear to be so difficult, if not impossible, for Ruth Sheehan to admit that her preconceived biases facilitated her rush-to-judgment... and to apologize for that fact.

The self-righteous arrogance of many journalists is appaling, and represents a good reason to be skeptical of all of their ilk.

Anonymous said...

Since she specifically demanded they fire Coach Pressler, she probably afraid of being sued.

Anonymous said...

Carolyn says:

John, I hope you're not holding your breath for Sheehan. Not breathing for a couple of months just might be fatal.

AMac said...

J-i-C,

Repeatedly, you have referred to the conduct of Ruth Sheehan and the News & Observer during late March and early April. Your attacks have been the lowest of low blows:

-- You stated and then repeated the facts, accurately.

-- You linked to the articles and posts in question, allowing skeptics to access the primary evidence. And read the pieces for themselves.

The time-honored strategy of people in Ruth Sheehan's position is simple:

Ignore your critics.

Ignore them, because a few people will read the damning words, but most won't. Time will pass, and the critiques will get moved to the back of a Pendaflex folder filled with other yellowing clips. Then they'll move to microfiche.

Ignore them, because soon enough, the critic will be indistinguishable from a crank, holding forth in one corner of the party, putting a damper on the festive atmosphere. Maybe he was right, maybe he was wrong, but who knows, and who cares?

Ruth Sheehan may grow to dislike Google. Really, really dislike Google. And what this whole interweb thing means for how at-fault individuals and institutions should respond to justified criticism.

Tom said...

And they only deserve their 15 minutes of fame instead of worldwide name recognition.

Anonymous said...

The N&O stories of March 24 and 25 — Mangum as "victim" — and Sheehan's column set the table for Nifong. It's difficult to see how lawsuits won't happen.

Anonymous said...

Who cares about Ruthie? She is a terrible writer on a worse newspaper. Giving her all this recognization is unwarranted. I am sure she loves it. Just like Cash, she missed the boat, - No Pulitzers for them. Let them both fade away, although, neither shows any sign of going quietly into the good night.

Anonymous said...

John,
Excellent. Ruthie was trying to cover her hind-side, and you exposed it. I only wish O'Reilly would interview her on such !!

Anonymous said...

Calling for honorable behavior from someone so inherently DISHONORABLE is no different than asking a broke man for a million dollars.

You make a request they have not the wherewithal to grant you......

Anonymous said...

John in Carolina readers should read the Liestoppers hoax blog started by Tony Soprano. Scroll down and read what Buckeye wrote. This is a small sample:
"Maybe if newsrooms pursued true diversity and had people from all walks of life, political viewpoints, and backgrounds as well as race, gender, and sexuality, the reaction from the newsmedia would have been a lot more accurate, balanced, and fair.
"Perhaps a staff of more well grounded and realistic people would have given care to the presumption of innocence and due process, would have noticed Nifong’s incongruity, and would have shown some circumspection toward the accusations of an intoxicated stripper with wild stories, an arrest record, a history of mental illness, prior accusations that she did not follow through on, and a motive to lie."

Anonymous said...

I do notice her article in the N&O has a link to email her, perhaps we should send her a note inquiring as to her opinion of the case now.

Bday...

Anonymous said...

I love it. Ruthie was trying to put all the blame on her early writing on Nifong. And come to find out she wrote her most inflammatory article before Nifong opened his mouth.

Anonymous said...

At least McCarthy had the defense that there were in fact communists.

Anonymous said...

Get real!!! You don't for one minute think that this slime bucket is going to apologize...to anyone!!!! She is already gonna be up to her loud mouth in law suits.

Trinity60

JWM said...

To Anon @ 2:25 PM,

McCarthy not as bad as Sheehan? I won’t disagree.

To Anon @ 2:35 PM

The self-righteous arrogance of many journalists is appalling.”

I agree.

To Anon @ 2:45 PM

“Since she specifically demanded they fire Coach Pressler, she is probably afraid of being sued.”

She very well may be.

To Carolyn @. 3:38 PM

I’m not holding my breath. And Sheehan shouldn’t hold her breath in the hope we’ll give up and go away.

To Amac @3:42 PM

“The time-honored strategy of people in Ruth Sheehan's position is simple: Ignore your critics.”

You’re right. It’s also been the strategy of Duke’s trustees and President Brodhead. In fact Duke’s paid PR folks at least a six-figure sum to develop and implement that strategy.

I’m not too smart. If you’re not too smart either, let’s go into business and offer Duke and Sheehan our services.

To Joe T

"It's interesting to think how, without realizing it, so many people have given themselves a lasting 'fame.' The quotes … of people like Sheehan …”

When I read your comment I thought of Nixon's “I am not a crook.”

You know I thought that. You know you know.

To Tom

“And they only deserve their 15 minutes of fame instead of worldwide name recognition."

What about cutting it to 2 minutes?

To Anon @ 6:04 PM

“The N&O stories of March 24 and 25 … It's difficult to see how lawsuits won't happen.”

I hope they do, and in a just world they would.

But big news organizations have pushed to put themselves in a situation where they can say what would be libel if an ordienary citizen said it. But they're protected.

Big media claim they need that kind of protection so they can “bring us the truth.”

But news organizations in Britain don’t have that kind of protection.

Anon @ 6:58 PM

You say: “Who cares about Ruthie? She is a terrible writer on a worse newspaper. Giving her all this recognition is unwarranted.”

What Sheehan did was terrible. I want people to know that. So I post.

Also I hope Sheehan may sometime have the decency to do what many of us, including I suspect you, know she should do.

Anon @ 7:57 PM

“Ruthie was trying to cover her hind-side, and you exposed it.”

I sure tried.

“I only wish O'Reilly would interview her on such !! “

I like the idea.

Someone please contact Fox and O’Reilly

Anon @ 8:01 PM

"[In terms of honorable behavior you] make a request they have not the wherewithal to grant you..."

At lot of them at the N&O seem to be trying to tell me that, only they don’t come right out and say it.

I’m smiling.

Anon @ 8:06 PM

“John in Carolina readers should read the Liestoppers hoax blog started by Tony Soprano.”

Liestoppers is a great blog. I visit it every day. I’ve told President Brodhead he should too. But he says he’s “really, really” too busy to.

I’ve been a Tony Soprano fan for some time. He’s terrific.

Anon @ 10: 44 PM

“I do notice her article in the N&O has a link to email her, perhaps we should send her a note inquiring as to her opinion of the case now.”

I sent her via email a link to the post. I doubt I’ll hear back but it’s good to remind her; and new people are looking in all the time.

Here’s a link to her blog. You may be surprised at what “blogger” Sheehan is doing:
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/ruth/index.php

Anon @ 1: 53 AM

“I love it. Ruthie was trying to put all the blame on her early writing on Nifong. And come to find out she wrote her most inflammatory article before Nifong opened his mouth”

Exactly.

To Ryan Frank

“At least McCarthy had the defense that there were in fact communists.”

I didn’t think of that but you’re right.

To all of you who commented here
Thank you. You’ve put together a great thread.

John

Anonymous said...

I would point out that for a libel suit to succeed against media, mere falsehood of what the say is not enough.

It is required that malice be an element in that falsehood.

I think taken in their enirety the words of the N&O and the H-S staff will be sufficient to prove malice. And the truth is already out to prove falsehood, and further, that these people were in a postion to know what they printed was false, but declined to exercise any diligence to the truth because of their malice.

I do believe they are surrounded. It sucks to be them.