A Note About the Above Letter to the Editor

I appreciate and encourage reader input, and thank the writers for the careful and thoughtful letter just above about our coverage last week of a court case.

There are few environments where honesty and transparency are held to a higher standard than in our courtrooms. A person who lies, hides, or evades can go to jail. Court testimony and court records are not rumor or haze. They are the closest thing a community has to an authoritative public account.

From my perspective, the writers of the letter found fault with The Paper and its reporter Jacob Christopher for accurately reporting what was said in court by the judge, the defendant, and lawyers.

Objective and responsible court reporting does not endorse, does not dilute facts, does not shy away from sensitive testimony. Our courtrooms are places where facts get laid out, witnesses testify, and judges make real-world decisions that land on real-world people.

Our court coverage is not an endorsement of any party’s statements; it is the act of documenting them fully and accurately so the public can see and evaluate the justice process for themselves. Context that explains sentencing outcomes is essential, even when that context is uncomfortable.

Explaining legal reality is not the same as excusing conduct.

To put it bluntly, the letter’s authors, however well-intentioned, misdirected their concern for the victim and frustration with the outcome by blaming the messenger, The Paper.

I stand by our reporter Jacob Christopher and the quality of his work. I applauded the award-winning members of The Paper’s editorial team for the integrity and diligence they bring to every story every day.

The Paper’s promise to its readers is to report fairly, fully and objectively, regardless. Our editorial decisions are rooted in a commitment to transparency and accuracy.

The backbone of any responsible journalistic endeavor is its record of credibility, accuracy, balance, and thoroughness. The Paper not only stands on these principles, it bets its future on them.

ALLEN VANNOPPEN

Publisher