Local boy comments
Usually Crime Scene lets the comments stand by themselves below the posts, but I thought that everyone should read this from Local Boy. (I may comment on this myself later, but only after I'm through editing tomorrow's newspaper.)
In the meantime:
After reading the article in todays paper regarding this incident and the spin the author of this blog put on it, I'm solidly on the side of Flores's family on how poorly the paper handled this. The paper was wrong printing it as much as Flores was wrong in being a gangster.
Just because LASD stupidly gave certain information to the reporter doesn't mean that information has to be part of the article. If the info can cause danger to relatives and hospital staff than putting it out in print is dangerous and in my opinion it's unethical to do it.
Gangsters have attacked rivals before in hospitals and will do so in the future. You have to err on the side of caution and the paper did not.
Of course these papers are not always ethical or think these things through, Larry Wilson is a perfect example of that. I just didn't expect it from Frank and instead of covering the papers ass in this incident he needs to rethink his position.
Someone at the paper should have figured this info didn't need to be in the article. What purpose did it serve in printing it anyway? It added nothing to the circumstances of what took place.
The article I read by Frank this morning disturbed me because it gave the appearance of arrogance on the part of the newspaper, something he's kind of accused local law enforcement of recently at least twice.
I spoke to a high ranking official at Monrovia PD after Frank griped about the slow release of the murder/suicide information that took place there and was given a different story. I'm not sure who was right on that but there are two sides to that story.
It seems the reporters at the PSN and SGVT are smarting a little because they feel they should get more info than they do in a more timely manner from some agencies and are now chipping away at them over the Pasadena attack (that sounds like an isolated incident with some nut who's in custody) and want more info sooner.
Arrest logs, by law, are public info and all the reporters have to do is walk into any station, ask for it and do follow-up on anything that interests them. Maybe it's time for a little more work on the papers part and less mud slinging.
Local Boy
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CONTRIBUTORS
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| Frank Girardot, Metro Editor for the San Gabriel Valley Newspapers, brings you behind the yellow tape with takes on true crime, cold cases and more. This is also your forum to discuss crime, its impact on your neighborhood and how we cover it. Have any questions or tips? You can leave a comment here or e-mail Frank. |
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Brian Day is the crime reporter for the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper group. E-mail Brian. |
I have to like Local Boy he doesn't pull punches.
I have to disagree with him, a bit. Publishing that Flores was a gang member is relevant and helps us understand the root. Knowing it wasn't random is important. It doesn't change the facts, but knowing it came about because he chose an inherently violent lifestyle helps us understand the facts better.
I would have to agree noting the hospital was an error only as there is the slim potenital he could be attacked there and innocent people brought into harms way.
As far as MPD goes, keep the heat on. We are seeing the first reports of what is going on in a long time.
Incidently...they even created a whole "print error" to compliment the existing "rumor has it page" to correct the press.
Pasadena Star news got mentioned due to a mistating of victim gender, small point but the CM and Info officer need to justify salaries some how.
My gripe is in the giving out of the hospital info, not the mentioning of the shooting being gang related. I should have made that clear, my mistake.
I would also like to let Frank know that the relationship the press not only has with law enforcement, but also with ordinary citizens, is a two way street.
I read the SGVT and PSN every day. Both have received letters from me in the past year that were critical of articles or stances they took and none were printed.
The letters were direct, never obscene and since the papers obviously felt they couldn't answer what I wrote they were round filed. I called twice on why they weren't printed and was given the same answer..we're considering them but don't print every letter. I wrote three in all.
I see the same people constantly having letters printed about other issues, but take on the local press and that's another matter.
I know that's not your call Frank, you don't seem to shy away from things but your own employer is no better than those entities your upset with.
Local Boy
Rite Aide in Monrovia was robbed by three guys last night. At least one in custody and one gun recovered from what I was told.
The recent spate of shootings "is" a result of MNV and Duarte Eastside going after the Duroc Crips. They also have shot at non-gang related blacks and I think it will get worse before it gets better.
It's starting to look kind of like a Highland Park type of situation. Blame the gangs, Monrovia is doing all it can as is LASD.
Local Boy
I can tell you for an absolute fact that a very senior official in the City said of the November Murder-Suicide "you'll aren't gonna read about that in the paper."
There was no interpretation: The information was not being released. This was several evenings after the killing, long after any other PD would release the information.
I also know how the Tribune found out - from somebody at the LA Daily News.
Right Frank?
I can tell you for an absolute fact that a very senior official in the City said of the November Murder-Suicide "you'll aren't gonna read about that in the paper."
There was no interpretation: The information was not being released. This was several evenings after the killing, long after any other PD would release the information.
I also know how the Tribune found out - from somebody at the LA Daily News.
Right Frank?
This is accurate inside knowledge.
interesting...heard the same comments wonder why this is so?
Indeed it is. Glad you didn't force me to reveal how I might know such things. Hint: Nobody at the Trib told me.
So, if The Tribune/PSN is learning of stories in its own backyard from distant sources, one might deflate Local Boys jaw flappery that there was no cover-up.
So, now the question becomes: "Why ain't y'all shakin' the doors of City Hall to find out about the obfuscation?"
Hiding information from the public is a direct threat to democracy. And such malfesance should be a newspaper's first priority, no?
What's there to cover up about a murder/suicide Monrovia Man? Explain that to me. It wasn't like there was someone on the lose running around shooting people.
These are isolated types of events that aren't , publicity wise, all that big a deal to any city. Where some city officials might want it to not be put out to the public for their own idiotic reasons, there was no cover-up in the PD.
That's what I've said and I can't speak about what any city hall official might have said because I don't know. You obviously don't know what the PD did.
Tell you what, name your source because I'll be happy to name mine. I have 100% faith in that this person is telling me the truth. That's how he is.
I don't have faith in certain people at the PD to be truthful at all times, this guy is without a doubt the exception.
Local Boy
Your source works for mine. I guarantee it.
I never said there was a cover up in the PD. But when a leader of any city strives to ensure that relevant news stays out of print, there is something significantly astray.
A certain local blogger (with whom I have no affiliation) was quite concerned because of some unrelated but coincidentally synchornous events. The city official in question would have left the question dangling - making people wonder why all the cops were running around that night, why there were mysterious school announcements, why kids weren't in class the next day.
This City official cared not. It was a matter of arrogance and hubris.
Yes, the PD wanted to shield their "family" from the spotlight. I can understand this. However, they should have been overruled.
For City officials to brag about being able to keep information out of the paper ("you'll never read THAT in the police blotter") is nothing but hubris and arrogance.
And that ain't right.
Moreover, it raises a much, much more disturbing question: What else have our elected officials decided not to let us know?
I wouldn't argue that city hall has some idiots in it, the HR director being one of them. The father and siblings of the victim lived in the SGV I believe, the mom and her husband, former police dept. employees live out of state.
Notification in that type of case takes a bit longer. I'm certainly not defending the actions of anyone at city hall.
Local Boy
Awesome Blog. I add this Blog to my bookmarks.
You certainly deserve a round of applause for your post and more specifically, your blog in general. Very high quality material