Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Who owns the Northwest Herald?

Is anybody really sure that the Sheriff's Department doesn't own the Northwest Herald?

Looks like an unnamed reporter got another scoop out of the McHenry County Sheriff's Department. No writer claims the online article published at 4:51PM today. Read the masterpiece of investigative reporting at www.nwherald.com/2011/05/31/police-couple-concocted-break-in-story/ajokg40/ and then decide for yourself whether any of it is worth the 1's and the 0's used to put it together.

Examples:

"McHenry County Sheriff's investigators say ..."
"Police say ..."
"McHenry County Sheriff's Police responded ..."
"The couple was standing outside and told the deputy ..."
"Kimberly Smith told a deputy ..."
"She also told an officer ..., police said."

Referring to a November 2010 deposition given in the Zane Seipler civil rights' lawsuit against Sheriff Nygren and the Department, "As part of the deposition, Scott Milliman said ..."

Isn't that the deposition that Nygren authorized a subordinate to give to Jose Rivera, who is thought to have passed it along to the Northwest Herald? The one that wasn't supposed to be made public?

Doesn't anyone at the Sheriff's Department have a name?

The McHenry County Sheriff's Department would do well to take a lesson from the little Round Lake Park Police Department over in Lake County. They kept their mouths shut; did their homework; and held one press conference. The Chief was candid and complete; there wasn't any B.S.

What are we getting over here in a big County sheriff's department? No press conference. Lots of changes to the story. Too many "police said" references. Why am I reminded of Abbott & Costello's routine, "Who's on first?"

There should have been a press conference on Sunday.
There should have been a press conference on Monday.
There should have been a press conference on Tuesday.
Tomorrow is Wednesday. Will there be one?

2 comments:

But Seriously said...

Of course they simply could have gone done to the Sheriffs Department and read the public record court info from the bond hearing.

Gus said...

Ah, yes, but I don't think the bond hearing had been held yet.

And the courthouse was closed on Monday. When it re-opened on Tuesday, the clerks would have needed time to scan in documents from the case, and that might not even be done by now.