Thursday, February 26, 2009

No, but thanks for asking

What's more irresponsible than alleged legal professionals who speculate about the outcome of trials that haven't happened yet? Newspapers that call 'em up and offer free promotional space to do so!
This is proclaimed an ORLANDO SENTINEL EXCLUSIVE, and there seems to be good reason for it:
Since Casey Anthony became the prime suspect in the disappearance — and eventual death — of her daughter Caylee Marie, prosecutors have released thousands of pages of evidence in their case against her.
But does the case, with its countless morsels of evidence, truly link the 22-year-old Orange County mother to Caylee Anthony's remains?
The Orlando Sentinel asked a handful of legal experts about some of the evidence released so far. They predict a difficult case for both sides.
It's "exclusive" because -- oh, hell. That's why we run the horse race! We actually have a "legal system," which has a "mechanism" for determining whether cases link people to stuff. It's called a "trial." Not a "1A centerpiece."
Lawyers are responsible for their own ethical standards. We're responsible for ours. The story shouldn't have been written, it shouldn't have been fronted, and -- we're getting into very-small-victory territory for copy editors here, but it's better than nothing -- it shouldn't have been phrased as a question that assumes its own answer. And one more thing: Don't call grownups by their first names in heds.

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