Stories about abuse and death often get a lot of reaction to our viewer’s voice. And that is certainly the case this week. You had a lot to say about a young woman’s claim she was abused at work and our coverage of a man who died in police custody.
We reported Clarence Smith Junior died after being tasered by Bertie County Sheriffs Deputies. A number of you companied that we included his criminal record in our follow up story on his death.
One viewer wrote,
"His past has absolutely nothing to do with the situation at hand! They used excessive force and they know it!"
We used his criminal record for a simple reason. The family claimed on-air the night before we ran his criminal record that he did not have one. Latrice Smith, the victim’s sister, said he fought with deputies because he didn't believe those charges existed.
And on our story about the arrest of ice cream store operator Ernest Van Cooney and claims by 18-year-old Tara White that he held a knife to her throat and abused her and anther teenaged girls who worked there, this email from a writer identified as one of the girls:
"I was upset to hear that this story would be airing without any of the other girls stories. None of the other girls were even contacted and that is unfair. "
But a viewer who signed, mother of the one of the girls, answered for us:
"Girls the station can’t contact your parent because you are minors. It has nothing to do with not wanting you on there."
Just to clear, there is no reason we cannot contact the parents of a minor, however, the law says police cannot release the names or information of a minor.
And we want to thank all of you who wrote in or complimented us in person for the on your side, in your hometown segments. It has certainly been a pleasure for all of us.
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