Criminal charges and the media

13212

My boyfriend is up for a drugs charge in my local town, I really don't want my parents to find out or for for anyone else in the town to think I am associated with it in any way. I was wondering what the chances are of it appearing in the local newspaper? How do the public and media find out if there is a court case on on a certain date or time and whether the offences are known before the court date? Lastly has anyone had any experiences with or know if there is any way of stopping a newspaper from reporting a case? Such as a contract with money involved not to have it in the newspaper, or by persuading them not to due to the person's good name or family's good name in the town.

Only helpful replies please this is a difficult enough situation as it is. Thanks

Stheno

Court cases (with some exceptions) are a matter of public record and can be reported on by the press.

There's not much you can do imo to prevent it being reported upon if it's deemed newsworthy

Graham

Have I got this backwards or are you really exploring bribery and intimidation as a means to protect your families good name?

Little CuChulainn

Nothing you can do about it. It will likely be in the local paper but if it's big enough or interesting enough it can make the nationals too. I'd imagine attempts to bribe or intimidate the media to keep quiet would only lead to the Streisand effect.

Pat Mustard

13212 wrote: »

Lastly has anyone heard of journalists being successfully intimidated by a powerful person in Ireland to not put something in the paper?

Mod:

You want to stop something appearing in the newspaper and you ask about the possibility of intimidation of journalists in the same post.

EDIT: Thread reopened after discussion with OP. Discussion of illegal or criminal activity is not allowed, per forum charter.

13212

Thank you for the replies. I definitely would not call it bribery, sure they are legally entitled to report something in a paper but if you were to make a contract with them to not publish the case in their paper then surely they would have to adhere to it? Intimidation was the wrong word to use, I certainly didn't mean it in an illegal manner. I was just wondering if anyone had heard of a journalist being told not to report a case by the editor of their newspaper or something along those lines. It's more than just my boyfriend's family's good name, it's the sanity of his parents and whether he ever comes home again.

Graham

13212 wrote: »

if you were to make a contract with them to not publish the case in their paper then surely they would have to adhere to it?

If that were the case you would never read about any court cases in the media.

I can't help but think any contact with the media with such a request is only likely to convince them there is a story worth pursuing.

Paulw

13212 wrote: »

sure they are legally entitled to report something in a paper but if you were to make a contract with them to not publish the case in their paper then surely they would have to adhere to it?

A contract? So, how is this not bribery?

They can report on any court case, as these cases (in general) are of public record.

Tina82

I'm in a similar situation myself so can sympathise with you

MarkAnthony

Any attempt to exert any type of pressure on the media will result in one thing. The case absolutely being covered.

Yes I'm sure people have stopped media reports in their time, that's not what we're talking about here. If a TD or some such did get involved it turns it from a scrote dealing/possessing drugs to a front page cover up attempt.

Let it be, OP, get said boyfriend the help he needs or get shot of him.

Little CuChulainn

A contract to not say anything in exchange for money is still bribery. Polite, legal intimidation is still intimidation. Are you going to bribe everyone in court? Stop trying to prevent the inevitable and start damage limitation. Tell people in advance if needs be.

13212

Okay obviously I am showing my naivety in the matter I thought it might be possible to come to a legally sound agreement with a newspaper not to publish something but obviously that is out of the question.

And any form of trying to control it using power would cause it to become worse. How about speaking to the journalists personally after the case and in a way begging them not to report it? Or at least not to mention his name? I know it's a long shot but they may have sympathy on him and his family.

Back to my earlier question, how do the media find out when a case is going to be on? And what information about the case are they given beforehand?

Little CuChulainn

13212 wrote: »

Okay obviously I am showing my naivety in the matter I thought it might be possible to come to a legally sound agreement with a newspaper not to publish something but obviously that is out of the question.

And any form of trying to control it using power would cause it to become worse. How about speaking to the journalists personally after the case and in a way begging them not to report it? Or at least not to mention his name? I know it's a long shot but they may have sympathy on him and his family.

Back to my earlier question, how do the media find out when a case is going to be on? And what information about the case are they given beforehand?

They don't. They just go and sit in the court and listen for some interesting cases. It's not unheard of for a reporter to leave out specific details for a good reason but I don't think your reason would be particularly compelling. And that is assuming only one reporter is there. The court will be full of people.

Paulw

13212 wrote: »

How about speaking to the journalists personally after the case and in a way begging them not to report it? Or at least not to mention his name? I know it's a long shot but they may have sympathy on him and his family.

Sympathy for someone up on a drugs charge? Hmm. Somehow I can't see that happening. You can always ask for it to not be reported, but it is more likely to encourage the reporter to publish it.

The name of the person charged is a matter of public record.

13212 wrote: »

Back to my earlier question, how do the media find out when a case is going to be on? And what information about the case are they given beforehand?

courts.ie will give a list of the days that court will sit. On many days journalists will see what cases are being heard. They may take notes and then decide of a case is worth reporting or not. Local papers do tend to report more on local matters.

coylemj

13212 wrote: »

Okay obviously I am showing my naivety in the matter I thought it might be possible to come to a legally sound agreement with a newspaper not to publish something but obviously that is out of the question.

It could only be legally 'sound' if it involved a signed piece of paper and a 'consideration' i.e. money - that is bribery in any man's language.

Even if the local paper was prepared to keep the lid on it, there is always a risk that their next-door rival could print a report of the case in which case there would be serious questions to be answered and the paper which agreed not to publish would suffer severe reputational damage.

13212 wrote: »

And any form of trying to control it using power would cause it to become worse. How about speaking to the journalists personally after the case and in a way begging them not to report it? Or at least not to mention his name? I know it's a long shot but they may have sympathy on him and his family.

In your original post you mentioned 'my local town' so I assume we're not talking about Dublin or any of the larger cities in which case there will almost certainly be a journalist from the local paper in court and if not, there will definitely be a freelancer there in the hope of picking up titbits e.g. the ex-boyfriend of some minor 'celeb' gets done for something trivial but it might be a case that would pass for 'news' on an otherwise slow day.

You also mention the person and their family's 'good name' which I take to mean that they are a reasonably prominent family in 'your local town' and would not like the attendant publicity if the son is convicted of a drugs offence. Unfortunately that is grist to the mill for the press - just look at the circus which surrounded the case where Darina Allen's husband was in court a few years ago - different class of offence I know but 'the higher they stand the father they fall' and being a nation of begrudgers, there are lots of people who get a certain satisfaction seeing people have their reputations dragged through the mud, the result is that most of the newspapers are more than happy to feed them what they want.

13212 wrote: »

Back to my earlier question, how do the media find out when a case is going to be on? And what information about the case are they given beforehand?

In lots of small towns the local journalists are often tipped off about upcoming juicy cases but even if they are not, the case will be called in court and the defendant and his solicitor will have to step forward in full view of the public to answer the charges so the journalists will have it all played out in front of them.

Miaireland

I am afraid their is very little you, your boyfriend or his family can do. Reporters sit in on court cases all the time and they report on interesting ones. It is called freedom of the press and a court case is a matter of public record. It is quite likely that there will be people who knows your boyfriend and his family sitting in the court anyway. Anyone can attend a courtcase and often people sit in on them as something to do.

It is unlikely that any reporter would agree not to name names in their report particularly as it is a drug related charge.

13212

I appreciate all your answers, I can't help but agree with most of them unfortunately. It seems there is no way out. It's a real shame that something my boyfriend should have to deal with himself will have such a catastrophic consequence on me, his family and everyone he knows. Especially considering if he was from a bigger town or city it would not likely make the news. I hope the day comes when drugs are not such big news as there are far worse things going on that go unreported or uncharged because there isn't enough evidence.

whippet

13212 wrote: »

I appreciate all your answers, I can't help but agree with most of them unfortunately. It seems there is no way out. It's a real shame that something my boyfriend should have to deal with himself will have such a catastrophic consequence on me, his family and everyone he knows. Especially considering if he was from a bigger town or city it would not likely make the news. I hope the day comes when drugs are not such big news as there are far worse things going on that go unreported or uncharged because there isn't enough evidence.

while I probably can sympathise with your worry .. however, while you might not feel a drugs offence isn't news worthy or serious; there are plenty who do.

Once you break the law and cross that line the repercussions are out of your hands. The reality is one's good name is only good for as long as they keep it that way.

Personally I would like to think that I can be kept informed by way of local news papers of any convicted criminals living close to me.

maccydoodies

13212 wrote: »

I hope the day comes when drugs are not such big news as there are far worse things going on that go unreported or uncharged because there isn't enough evidence.

Drugs are big news. Drug dealers are practically murderers.

Miaireland

I think that you are not looking at the bigger picture here. Drugs are a big deal and they are the cause of many other crimes. I think that you are looking at this from the point of view of your boyfriend and yourself. Prehaps both you and your boyfriend should use this as a wakeup call about how serious drugs are.

Not being rude but this is not going to have a catastrophic effect on everyone he knows. If he doesn't want to do the time then don't do the crime.

Paulw

13212 wrote: »

I hope the day comes when drugs are not such big news as there are far worse things going on that go unreported or uncharged because there isn't enough evidence.

WOW. Did I read that correctly??

I certainly hope that the press does pick up this story. Drugs are dangerous and do no good. Drugs kill and ruin lives of everyone involved, those who take them, those who sell/distribute, the families, etc

Hopefully your boyfriend will learn a lesson, especially if he gets a few years in jail. It might also teach you how serious this whole situation is.

I hope the day never comes when drugs are taken lightly.

13212

I don't want to turn this into an argument about the morality of drugs and drug dealing but I have seen it all first hand. I have also done my research. If drug dealers are murderers then so too are bartenders and off licence owners. Drugs are becoming more and more available even with the increased amount of guards in drug squads. The drug laws have done nothing other than to push drugs into the realm of criminal activity linking them to other crime as well as making them more unsafe as their contents are not regulated. Much like when alcohol was made illegal and deadly batches with methanol were produced. Also because drugs are taboo people who desperately need help cannot seek it. I would suggest you read up on the arguments for legalizing certain drugs because I have heard the "drugs are bad" argument enough but I don't think people have looked at the other side. I am not condoning drug use whatsoever but the current system just doesn't work. People go in and out of jail for drug charges and it makes no difference to the amount available to young people or the deadly chemicals that are put in them which cause the deaths and not the drug itself. My boyfriend is a victim of the current system and will be branded a criminal even though he wouldn't hurt a fly and made sure what he sold was not dangerous. This will be my last post. Food for thought and if any of your young children got involved in the drug trade you would see how easy it is to get caught up in the whole thing.

Graham

This was going to be my next post:

Paulw wrote: »

Hopefully your boyfriend will learn a lesson, especially if he gets a few years in jail. It might also teach you how serious this whole situation is.

In these situations, it's generally considered good practice to hold a trial and find someone guilty before dishing out a sentence.




But then you announced his guilt:

13212 wrote: »

My boyfriend is a victim of the current system and will be branded a criminal even though he wouldn't hurt a fly and made sure what he sold was not dangerous.

I hope for his sake, you're not his legal representative.

coylemj

13212 wrote: »

My boyfriend is a victim of the current system and will be branded a criminal even though he wouldn't hurt a fly and made sure what he sold was not dangerous.

I think any sympathy you may have had from the posters here has just evaporated with that statement.

Stheno

coylemj wrote: »

I think any sympathy you may have had from the posters here has just evaporated with that statement.

Agreed, no one selling drugs imo can vouch for the quality of them and be sure it is not harmful depending on what it is mixed with

Greenmachine

13212 wrote: »

I appreciate all your answers, I can't help but agree with most of them unfortunately. It seems there is no way out. It's a real shame that something my boyfriend should have to deal with himself will have such a catastrophic consequence on me, his family and everyone he knows. Especially considering if he was from a bigger town or city it would not likely make the news. I hope the day comes when drugs are not such big news as there are far worse things going on that go unreported or uncharged because there isn't enough evidence.

What is the catastrophic effect that it will have on everyone he knows. If he was in possession of drugs, it is unlikely that it was in isolation i.e., that some of his friends likely use drugs too. If it is a simple possession charge, it will likely be forgotten pretty quickly. If it something more serious, something that might lead to a custodian sentence, then the chances of it being reported are higher. Have you spoken with anyone in your immediate family to explain the situation and distance yourself from your bf actions.

gozunda

13212 wrote: »

I don't want to turn this into an argument about the morality of drugs and drug dealing but I have seen it all first hand. I have also done my research. If drug dealers are murderers then so too are bartenders and off licence owners. Drugs are becoming more and more available even with the increased amount of guards in drug squads. The drug laws have done nothing other than to push drugs into the realm of criminal activity linking them to other crime as well as making them more unsafe as their contents are not regulated. Much like when alcohol was made illegal and deadly batches with methanol were produced. Also because drugs are taboo people who desperately need help cannot seek it. I would suggest you read up on the arguments for legalizing certain drugs because I have heard the "drugs are bad" argument enough but I don't think people have looked at the other side. I am not condoning drug use whatsoever but the current system just doesn't work. People go in and out of jail for drug charges and it makes no difference to the amount available to young people or the deadly chemicals that are put in them which cause the deaths and not the drug itself. My boyfriend is a victim of the current system and will be branded a criminal even though he wouldn't hurt a fly and made sure what he sold was not dangerous. This will be my last post. Food for thought and if any of your young children got involved in the drug trade you would see how easy it is to get caught up in the whole thing.

Drug dealing IS a criminal activity whether you like it or not. Such activity remains a crime under existing laws. People who 'deal' in drugs are involving themselves in a network of criminality that often involves money laundering, smuggling, violence and a possible endless range of other nasty involvements. There is no 'nice' drug' dealers - such individuals are out to make a profit out of illegal substances - substances which are illegal for good reason. As for any other perceived or actual 'wrong' - this does not make anything else excusable. I would suggest your and your boyfriends 'good' reputation will take a knock if he is found guilty. Best of luck with that.

Grolschevik

To get back to the original question, probably the only option is to write nicely to the local paper's editor and plead for it not to be covered.

However, this may well have opposite than the intended effect.

Little CuChulainn

13212 wrote: »

I don't want to turn this into an argument about the morality of drugs and drug dealing but I have seen it all first hand. I have also done my research. If drug dealers are murderers then so too are bartenders and off licence owners. Drugs are becoming more and more available even with the increased amount of guards in drug squads. The drug laws have done nothing other than to push drugs into the realm of criminal activity linking them to other crime as well as making them more unsafe as their contents are not regulated. Much like when alcohol was made illegal and deadly batches with methanol were produced. Also because drugs are taboo people who desperately need help cannot seek it. I would suggest you read up on the arguments for legalizing certain drugs because I have heard the "drugs are bad" argument enough but I don't think people have looked at the other side. I am not condoning drug use whatsoever but the current system just doesn't work. People go in and out of jail for drug charges and it makes no difference to the amount available to young people or the deadly chemicals that are put in them which cause the deaths and not the drug itself. My boyfriend is a victim of the current system and will be branded a criminal even though he wouldn't hurt a fly and made sure what he sold was not dangerous. This will be my last post. Food for thought and if any of your young children got involved in the drug trade you would see how easy it is to get caught up in the whole thing.

To compare dealers to barmen is ridiculous. Sure if you want to talk about the effects of drugs on the individuals health you could draw a comparison but that's not where most of the violence in drug dealing is. The violence comes from the manufacture, distribution and sale of drugs. The same cannot be said of alcohol.

Miaireland

What about the people who's houses are broke into by addicts to get money to pay their dealers?

I can guarantee one thing, if your boyfriend goes to court and tries to defend himself like you are it will be reported in the media and rightly so.

Paulw

gozunda wrote: »

People who 'deal' in drugs are involving themselves in a network of criminality that often involves money laundering, smuggling, violence and a possible endless range of other nasty involvements. There is no 'nice' drug' dealers - such individuals are out to make a profit out of illegal substances - substances which are illegal for good reason.

Well, considering the OPs initial request of how to bribe or intimidate a journalist to not report the actions of her boyfriend, I am not surprised by her attitude that it is all a victimless crime. :rolleyes:

I'd be curious now to hear/read what happens in court. This thread is certainly generating interest in the trial.