I've heard Stuart Taylor on the radio outlining the arguments of his book Until Proven Innocent in which he and coauthor K.C. Johnson lay out the various injustices that occurred in the rape case brought against Duke lacrosse players. As we now know, all charges where dropped and the DA who brought the case has lost his job and law license. Taylor shows no mercy to the field of journalism, which he argues bought into a false storyline because it made good copy and also fit the political predilections of most reporters on the case.
Could the same thing have happened regarding the so-called "Jena 6"? A reporter from Jena, writing in the Christian Science Monitor, thinks so. If he is right, Mr. Taylor may have his next book waiting for him in Louisiana. Here is part what Craig Franklin of the Jena Times writes today:
By now, almost everyone in America has heard of Jena, La., because they've all heard the story of the "Jena 6." White students hanging nooses barely punished, a schoolyard fight, excessive punishment for the six black attackers, racist local officials, public outrage and protests – the outside media made sure everyone knew the basics.
There's just one problem: The media got most of the basics wrong. In fact, I have never before witnessed such a disgrace in professional journalism. Myths replaced facts, and journalists abdicated their solemn duty to investigate every claim because they were seduced by a powerfully appealing but false narrative of racial injustice.
Read the whole thing for various "myths" that Mr. Franklin claims have been reported as fact. He offers alternative explanations.
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