Florida man kills mom’s sex offender fiance
The story begins; “ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A SWAT standoff in unincorporated Pinellas County has ended with a deputy shot and a sex offender dead.”
Why can’t they just write, “… left a man dead?”
The victim, who happened to be a registrant, was killed by a mentally unstable man who was the son of his fiancee. Apparently the shooting took place because the woman wouldn’t buy her son donuts.
The media has a need to stress the victims “label” – even though he wasn’t shot because of any current crime – which only serves to dehumanize the man who was killed. To shame him further; the State of Florida still lists the dead victim on its registry as “Deceased”
Is there a call to action here for folks to contact the reporter Carson Chambers cchambers@wfts.com and share the concern that focusing on the label of the VICTIM here is not only unprofessional journalism but as stated in this FAC post, is absolutely horrible for the victim’s loved ones.
The station address & phone:
Station Address:
WFTS-TV/ABC Action News
4045 N. Himes Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33607
Main Telephone: (813) 354-2828
Fax Number: (813) 878-2828
Toll-free number: 877-833-2828
further the station is apparently owned by Scripps TV Station Group (see the footer on their webpage) below is the link to their contact page which has a contact form and headquarters address.
http://www.scripps.com/contact/new
It’s good to see comments like this. Thank you for digging this info up and making it easy for me to act.
Just emailed him. So distasteful, inconsiderate and shameful the way he referred to this poor victim as a ‘Sex Offender’, de-humanizing him and making him a 2nd-tier citizen. I encourage others to speak out about this.
Thank you Joe! That was the right thing to do.
These are horrible events regardless of the murdered man’s status.
It’s clearly the media using “alternative facts”.
The media needs to just report the news and stop the active sensationalism headlines to get readership or viewership.
I no longer trust anything I read or hear. The media is to biased one way or the other.
Very Sad!
Even sadder for this family.
This young man apparently needs psychological help.
This is a positive feedback loop we’re stuck in. So many consumers eat up the sensational garbage, so a savvy business is going to repeat that behavior to make more money.
Media are no longer a service to the society, they are slaves to the dollar. Citizens forget that we own the airwaves these broadcasters use. They are leased them under the promise that they will devote a portion to journalistic endeavors. They don’t do that anymore.
I used to work both for a few broadcast stations in the engineering side. A standard quote in all of the stations I worked for said the same thing, “If it doesn’t bleed, it doesn’t lead.” They believe that statement and have no problem working off that statement, regardless of who they hurt. That’s why I won’t have anything to do with broadcast anymore.
Florida is a nasty evil state, I can’t wait to move away !!. Was born and raised here, Had several Businesses throughout my life, Always tried to walk the Chalk Line. And I meet a girl with a FAKE ID, That ADMITTED she lied about her age, And Florida still chooses to attempt to HANG ME !!!. 9 other Southern States wouldn’t persue my case, But Florida sure did !!!. Then after me fighting for my LIFE for 2 1/2 years and getting my conviction WITHHELD, A nasty Probation Officer LIES and violates me 7 times over my 3 YEAR sentence (yes 3 years, this shows how weak the charge was) she managed to get my record so screwed up that now it shows that I’m CONVICTED, Even tho I BEAT EVERY VIOLATION CHARGE !! And every Lawyer I’ve went to, To try to get my record straight, Wants $25K just to “TRY” to get the conviction reversed. And now it’s been 9 years since my “End of Sentence” and now Florida says it’s been “TO LONG”, And now I can’t even get a Court Hearing. The Courts say I had only 2 YEARS to appeal/fix my record. So now I’m STUCK on the Registry, And wasn’t even supposed to be on it to begin with !!!. I wasn’t required to even register !!!. My PROBATION OFFICER is who Registered me !!. The Judge didn’t tell me I had too !!!!. That was my FIRST Violation, And the Judge DISMISSED THE CHARGE !! But my Probation Officer took it opon herself to”Register Me” !!!. Over the 3 years of Probation, I was in Court fighting the “Conditions” atleast once a MONTH, So this lead to a very very “Thick” File of Paperwork. This “Thick” (2 files a FOOT thick) is why Lawyers all want so much money to “Fight” my case. . So Welcome to a “LIFETIME ON THE REGISTRY” when I wasn’t supposed to even be on it !! Along with a CONVICTION when I’m really ADJUCATION WITHELD !!! With NO WAY to fix my life !! Gotta Love Florida..
There are more civilized states in the Union, and nations in the world. It’s not a bad idea to consider.
But, while you’re in Florida, we would all benefit greatly from taking all this wasted energy of being pissed off and laser focusing it into something that matters. FAC is facilitating several things of that nature, pour your energy into those things. Or volunteer and help start up some other action you think would be more effective. Help our community, we need everyone to be pitching in.
Tired – I understand your frustration. My son was also told all kinds of things at adjudication that turned out to be false. However, I want to point out that in FL even Adjudication Withheld is on the registry. If that is why your lawyer told you that you would not be on the registry he/she was very wrong.
And also Tired – from experience the judges do not know the extent of the registry and its’ rules. It is the statute of the crime (convicted or adjudication withheld) that determines whether one is on the registry. Because it is considered “civil” it is not part of one’s sentence (so in other words the judge would not tell you about it). In fact, that civil thing is part of the battle concerning the registry. If it was part of the sentence then it would be considered “punishment” and a lot less people would be on the registry.
The JUDGE is who told me I wasn’t required to register !!!. Buy the Probation Department is who Registered me ! I went back to court to fight it and then the Judge said, Just go along with it and when you get off Probation, It will all be over with !! It won’t be held against you !. My father used to be the Head of Probation back many years ago. And back then, The JUDGE told Probation what to do, What they wanted the Conditions to be !!! Now, Probation tells the Judge what to do !!! My case was so weak, But so screwed up that a descent Lawyer could of beat it, But no lawyers knew much about”Sex Offence” laws back when I was charged !. Most Judges didn’t know alot about the Laws !!!. Atleast in Polk County Florida !. I’m RUINED FOREVER unless I move away to a state that believes in the Constitution and gives people a chance to live again !!!