♪ ♪
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> John: WELCOME, WELCOME,
WELCOME TO "LAST WEEK TONIGHT!"
I'M JOHN OLIVER, THANKS SO MUCH
FOR JOINING US.
IT HAS BEEN A BUSY WEEK.
RUSSIA'S BRIDGE TO CRIMEA WAS
SERIOUSLY DAMAGED, IN YET
ANOTHER SETBACK FOR THEM,
HERSCHEL WALKER ACTED OUT TEN
DIFFERENT EPISODES OF "MAURY,"
AND JOE BIDEN GAVE A SPEECH AT A
FACTORY IN MARYLAND, THAT HE
BEGAN LIKE THIS.
>> LET ME START OFF WITH TWO
WORDS: MADE IN AMERICA.
>> John: YEAH,
THAT'S THREE WORDS.
YOU JUST OUTBIDEN'ED YOURSELF.
I'M SURPRISED THE REST OF THE
SPEECH DIDN'T GO, "TWO WORDS:
MADE IN AMERICA, FIVE WORDS:
CRUSHED IT.
NINE WORDS: YEP.
FOUR WORDS: YOU BETCHA."
BUT WE'RE GOING TO START IN
IRAN.
THE COUNTRY WHERE PEOPLE HEARD,
"YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY MAKE YOGURT
INTO A SODA," AND WERE LIKE,
"THE FUCK WE CAN'T!"
DON'T KNOCK IT TILL YOU TRY IT.
FOR THE LAST THREE WEEKS,
THERE'VE BEEN HUGE PROTESTS ALL
OVER IRAN, FOLLOWING THE DEATH
OF A YOUNG WOMAN NAMED
MAHSA AMINI AFTER HER ARREST FOR
VIOLATING MANDATORY HIJAB RULES
BY IRAN'S SO-CALLED "MORALITY
POLICE."
AND I KNOW "MORALITY POLICE"
SOUNDS LIKE A FAKE NAME
TUCKER CARLSON MADE UP FOR
PEOPLE WHO WON'T LET HIM SAY
SLURS ANYMORE, BUT IT'S A VERY
REAL ORGANIZATION THAT ENFORCES
DRESS AND BEHAVIOR RULES, WHICH
HAS BEEN NEWLY ENERGIZED UNDER A
HARD-LINE NEW PRESIDENT WHO TOOK
OFFICE LAST YEAR.
FOR A WHILE NOW, THERE'S BEEN
WIDESPREAD DISCONTENT IN IRAN
OVER REPRESSION, CORRUPTION,
INFLATION, AND ECONOMIC PAIN
CAUSED IN PART BY U.S.
SANCTIONS.
BUT THE DEATH OF MAHSA AMINI'S
HAS UNLEASHED A TORRENT OF FURY,
LED BY ONE GROUP IN PARTICULAR.
>> SCHOOLGIRLS HAVE NOW JOINED
ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS IN
IRAN.
HERE IN CAPITAL TEHRAN, THEY'RE
MARCHING IN THE STREETS,
CHANTING "DEATH TO THE
DICTATOR."
THE BIGGEST THREAT FOR MORE THAN
A DECADE TO IRAN'S RADICAL
ISLAMIC LEADERSHIP ARE NOW
TEENAGERS.
>> John: IT'S TRUE.
TEENAGERS ARE THE SCARIEST THING
TO THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT.
WHICH HONESTLY FEELS RIGHT.
TEENAGERS ARE TERRIFYING.
THE LIST OF GROUPS I NEVER WANT
MAD AT ME GOES, IN ASCENDING
ORDER, THE MAFIA, THE MAFIA FROM
FIFTY YEARS AGO, JASON MOMOA,
WHICH IS LESS ABOUT HIM BEING
PHYSICALLY IMPOSING AND MORE
ABOUT ME CRAVING HIS APPROVAL,
ROBOTS, SPIDERS AFTER THEY ALL
LEARN TO WORK TOGETHER, AND
THEN, RIGHT AT THE TOP:
TEENAGE GIRLS.
AND THE YOUNG WOMEN AT THE
FOREFRONT OF THESE PROTESTS HAVE
BEEN MAKING IT VERY CLEAR THAT
THEY'RE NOT AFRAID TO STAND UP
TO THE MORALITY POLICE, OR,
INDEED, ANYBODY.
>> THIS VIDEO SHOWS FEMALE
STUDENTS IN SHIRAZ, SHOUTING
"BASIJIS GET LOST" TO A MEMBER
OF THE FEARED BASIJI
PARAMILITARY FORCE WHO HAD BEEN
INVITED TO GIVE A SPEECH.
AND IN THIS VIDEO, FILMED NEAR
THE CAPITAL TEHRAN, IRANIAN
SCHOOLGIRLS, MANY WITHOUT THEIR
HEADS COVERED, THROW OBJECTS AT
A MAN AND CHASE HIM AWAY.
>> John: HOLY SHIT!
THE BRAVERY OF THOSE GIRLS IS
GENUINELY INCREDIBLE.
I PRESUME THE SCHOOL THEY ATTEND
IS "THE FUCK AROUND AND FIND OUT
ACADEMY FOR GIRLS."
AND IF THAT'S NOT WHAT IT'S
CALLED, IT SHOULD BE FROM NOW
ON.
THESE PROTESTS ARE TAKING MANY
FORMS, AND RAPIDLY SPREADING
ONLINE WHEN IRANIAN WOMEN WERE
FILMED CUTTING THEIR HAIR IN
PROTEST, WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD
STARTED DOING THE SAME IN
SOLIDARITY.
WHICH IS INCREDIBLY INSPIRING.
ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY, IT'S A
LITTLE HURTFUL THAT WHEN IRANIAN
WOMEN CUT THEIR OWN HAIR,
EVERYONE SUPPORTS THEM, BUT WHEN
I CUT MY OWN HAIR, EVERYONE SAYS
I LOOK LIKE AMELIE FELL
HEAD-FIRST INTO A GARBAGE
DISPOSAL.
THEY WEREN'T WRONG ABOUT THAT --
I'M JUST SAYING, IT'S A DOUBLE
STANDARD.
UNSURPRISINGLY, THE GOVERNMENT
IS NOW VIOLENTLY CRACKING DOWN,
KILLING OVER 100 PROTESTORS AND
BYSTANDERS.
AND AYATOLLAH KHAMEINI HAS
RESORTED TO CLAIMING AMERICA'S
BEHIND THESE PROTESTS, AND HAS
BEEN SECRETLY INSTIGATING THEM.
AND LOOK, IT'S NOT LIKE AMERICA
HASN'T MEDDLED IN IRAN'S AFFAIRS
IN THE PAST, BUT IN THIS
INSTANCE, THE PROTESTORS SEEM
VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHO THEY'RE MAD
AT, AND IT IS HIM.
>> THESE YOUNG GIRLS NO LONGER
WANT TO SEE HIS FACE IN THEIR
CLASSROOMS.
INSTEAD, THEY WROTE THEIR DREAMS
BEHIND HIS FRAMED PICTURE,
EQUALITY AND FREEDOM, TO TURN
THIS PAGE OF IRAN'S HISTORY.
>> John: THAT IS EXTREMELY
POWERFUL TO SEE.
AND FRANKLY, I DON'T BLAME THOSE
GIRLS FOR NOT WANTING TO SEE
THAT PARTICULAR FACE EVERY DAY,
EVEN IF HE WASN'T THE SYMBOL OF
OPPRESSION AND TYRANNY.
IT LOOKS LIKE RIGHT BEFORE THAT
PICTURE WAS TAKEN, THE
PHOTOGRAPHER SAID, "READY?
THREE, TWO, ONE, WHEN A PANDA
HAS TWINS, IT KEEPS THE STRONGER
ONE AND ABANDONS THE OTHER.
SAY CHEESE!"
PERFECT!
AS FOR WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, IT'S
HARD TO SAY.
THERE HAVE BEEN CIVILIAN
UPRISINGS IN IRAN BEFORE THAT
THE GOVERNMENT SNUFFED OUT, LIKE
THE GREEN MOVEMENT IN 2009.
AND THAT COULD WELL HAPPEN AGAIN
HERE.
BUT AS SOME IRANIANS HAVE SAID,
THIS TIME DOES FEEL A LITTLE
DIFFERENT.
THE PRIMARY DRIVERS OF THESE
PROTESTS ARE YOUNG, DEFIANT, AND
FED UP WITH THE STATUS QUO.
AND THEY DESERVE OUR SUSTAINED
ATTENTION.
BECAUSE, TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF
IRAN, LET ME SAY THIS.
IF I MAY BORROW SOME PHRASING
FROM JOE BIDEN, I HAVE
TWO WORDS FOR YOU: YOU ARE
ALL ABSOLUTELY FUCKING AMAZING.
AND NOW THIS.
>> AND NOW, CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
KIND OF COOL GUY.
>> COMING UP, AM I THE ONLY GUY
WHO THINKS CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
WAS REALLY KIND OF A COOL GUY?
HE DISCOVERED OUR HEMISPHERE, HE
WRIST LIFE AND LIMB TO DO IT, I
KNOW EVERYBODY'S BEATING UP ON
HIM?
I THINK THAT'S VERY UNFAIR AND
HE'S NOT AROUND TO DEFEND
HIMSELF.
>> I'M NOT SAYING CUSTOMER
COLUMBUS WAS AN ANGEL OR THAT HE
WAS A PERFECT INDIVIDUAL, BUT HE
OBVIOUSLY HAD SOME MAJOR
ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
>> WE NEED TO JUDGE HIM BY THE
STANDARDS OF HIS OWN TIME AND
NOT OURS.
BY THE WAY, BY THOSE STANDARDS,
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS WAS A
PRETTY GOOD GUY.
>> WE ARE FLAWED, IS COLUMBUS
FLAWED?
WAS HE FLAWED?
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE ON
YOUR SHOW.
OF COURSE HE WAS FLAWED.
WE ALL ARE.
WHO ARE WE TO JUDGE FOR BETTER
OR FOR WORSE?
>> COLUMBUS WAS AN EPIC FIGURE
IN HUMAN HISTORY.
>> THAT DEBATE CONTINUES.
>> HE ALSO BROUGHT BACK TO
EUROPE SOMETHING YOU MIGHT NOT
BE AWARE OF WHICH IS POTATOES.
>> John: MOVING ON.
OUR MAIN STORY TONIGHT CONCERNS
CRIME -- Y'KNOW: MCGRUFF'S KINK.
IT'S GENUINELY IMPRESSIVE THIS
CRIME DOG TAUGHT A WHOLE
GENERATION HOW TO BE NARCS WHILE
SIMULTANEOUSLY DRESSING LIKE
HE'S ABOUT TO JERK IT IN THE
BACK OF A MOVIE THEATER.
SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT HOW CRIME IS COVERED
BY THE NEWS.
BECAUSE THE NEWS LOVES COVERING
CRIME -- SOMETIMES SERIOUSLY,
AND SOMETIMES LIKE THIS.
>> LET'S GET THIS STRAIGHT
FROM THE START: YOU'RE
NEDRA BRANTLEY, RIGHT?
>> I AM.
>> IS YOUR NAME MIKE?
>> NO, IT'S NOT.
>> THIS IS WHAT NEDRA'S CAR
LOOKED LIKE TODAY.
"MIKE IS A CHEATER" SPRAY
PAINTED ALL OVER IT.
CHEATER, CHEATER, MIKE IS A
CHEATER.
MIKE, MIKE, MIKE, MIKE, MIKE,
MIKE, MIKE, SEE WHAT YOU'VE
DONE?
I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE.
BUT YOU MAY WANT TO START
CHANGING YOUR WAYS -- OR
CHANGING YOUR NAME.
>> John: YES.
I WANT THAT MAN ON MY TV ALL DAY
EVERY DAY.
IN FACT, IF YOU SENT NBC4
WASHINGTON'S PAT COLLINS TO
UKRAINE, I'D GUARANTEE IT'D BE
SORTED OUT TOMORROW.
"VLAD VLAD VLAD VLAD VLAD -- SEE
WHAT YOU'VE DONE?!"
YOU'VE UNDOUBTEDLY NOTICED THAT
CRIME MAKES UP A SIGNIFICANT
PART OF YOUR LOCAL NEWS'S
PROGRAMMING.
BUT THE SCALE OF THAT COVERAGE
HAS A REAL IMPACT.
RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT VIEWING
LOCAL TV NEWS IS RELATED TO
INCREASED FEAR OF, AND CONCERN
ABOUT CRIME, AND THAT TV NEWS
VIEWERS ARE ALSO MORE LIKELY TO
SUPPORT TOUGHER CRIME POLICIES.
WHICH DOES HELP EXPLAIN WHY OUR
PERCEPTIONS OF CRIME CAN BE
SHARPLY AT ODDS WITH THE REALITY
OF IT.
FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS, GALLUP
HAS ASKED AMERICANS WHETHER THEY
THINK THE U.S. HAS MORE OR LESS
CRIME COMPARED TO THE YEAR
BEFORE, AND IN
IN EVERY YEAR BUT ONE,
EVEN AS THE ACTUAL CRIME RATE
HAS PLUMMETED.
INTERESTINGLY, THE ONE YEAR A
MAJORITY SAID "LESS" WAS 2001.
FAMOUSLY A YEAR WHERE EVERYTHING
WAS SUPER CHILL, NO DRAMA, JUST
VIBES.
TV NEWS LEANS HARD ON "THIS
COULD HAPPEN TO YOU" CRIME
STORIES, WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO
PULL YOU IN -- WITH THE LATEST
VERSION BEING THIS.
>> AUTHORITIES CONTINUE TO SOUND
THE ALARM ABOUT THE DANGERS OF
RAINBOW FENTANYL.
>> ANOTHER WARNING ABOUT RAINBOW
FENTANYL -- THE DEADLY DRUG
DISGUISED AS CANDY!
>> IT IS CALLED RAINBOW
FENTANYL.
THE COLORFUL CANDY-LIKE
APPEARANCE IS ACTUALLY DESIGNED
TO APPEAL TO YOUNG KIDS.
>> THEY'RE ATTRACTIVE, THEY'RE
COLORFUL, THEY LOOK LIKE CANDY.
>> THIS IS EVERY PARENT'S WORST
NIGHTMARE.
ESPECIALLY IN THE MONTH OF
OCTOBER, AS HALLOWEEN FAST
APPROACHES.
THIS IS TREACHEROUS DECEPTION TO
MARKET RAINBOW FENTANYL LIKE
CANDY.
>> John: OKAY SO, FIRST, RAINBOW
FENTANYL SOUNDS LIKE THE TITLE
OF A VERY SPECIAL EPISODE OF
"MY LITTLE PONY."
BUT SECOND, WHILE THE IDEA OF IT
BEING MADE TO TARGET KIDS SOUNDS
SCARY, EXPERTS ON NARCOTICS HAVE
POINTED OUT: THOSE PILLS ARE
ALMOST CERTAINLY COLORED JUST TO
DIFFERENTIATE PRODUCTS, AND IT
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MARKETING
TO KIDS AT ALL, PERIOD,
WHATSOEVER.
WHICH DOES MAKES SENSE, BECAUSE
KIDS -- AND THIS IS TRUE --
NOT AN IDEAL CUSTOMER BASE FOR
EXPENSIVE STREET DRUGS.
BECAUSE EVEN IF DEALERS WERE
TARGETING TRICK-OR-TREATERS WITH
A "FIRST ONE'S ON THE HOUSE"
STRATEGY, WHERE DO YOU EXPECT
LITTLE ZEKE TO COME UP WITH THE
CASH FOR THE NEXT ONE?
SURE, HE'S GOT HIS WEEKLY
ALLOWANCE, BUT HE SMACKED HIS
BROTHER YESTERDAY, SO THAT'S
THAT DOLLAR GONE.
AND THE REST OF HIS NET WORTH IS
TIED UP IN LEGO STORE GIFT
CARDS.
HE'S USELESS TO DEALERS.
MAYBE CHECK BACK IN TEN YEARS
WHEN HE GETS PRESCRIBED OXY
AFTER A LACROSSE INJURY.
AND LOOK, THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT
OPIOID ADDICTION AMONG YOUNG
PEOPLE ISN'T A REAL ISSUE -- IT
OBVIOUSLY IS.
BUT IT DOESN'T HELP THE
CONVERSATION AROUND THAT ISSUE,
TO HAVE NEWSCASTERS JUMPING ON
SPLASHY "YOUR KID'S HALLOWEEN
CANDY COULD BE FENTANYL" STORIES
THAT EVEN IN THIS REPORT, THEY
HALF-ACKNOWLEDGE IS BULLSHIT,
RIGHT AT THE VERY END.
>> POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE
WARNING PARENTS TO CHECK THE
CANDY THEIR KIDS BRING HOME FROM
TRICK OR TREATING.
>> WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE KIDS
WHO ARE TAKING PILLS THAT THEY
THINK IS CANDY AND IS REALLY
NOT.
>> THERE HAVE BEEN NO INSTANCES
OF THAT HAPPENING.
>> John: YEAH, OF COURSE NOT.
I'M SO GLAD YOU TACKED THAT
DISCLAIMER ON AT THE END THERE.
I'M SURE THE THREE SECOND DEBUNK
READ OVER THE STATION LOGO IS
EXACTLY WHAT EVERYONE'S GOING TO
TAKE AWAY FROM THAT REPORT, AND
DEFINITELY NOT THE IMAGES OF
LITTLE HULKS STICKING THEIR
HANDS INTO BOWLS OF
SKITTLE-SHAPED SMACK.
BUT THAT INSTINCT TO RUN AN
EYE-CATCHING CRIME STORY WITHOUT
BEING SKEPTICAL OF ITS SOURCING
IS UNFORTUNATELY INCREDIBLY
COMMON.
SO GIVEN THAT, TONIGHT, LET'S
TALK ABOUT CRIME REPORTING --
SPECIFICALLY, THE INCENTIVES
DRIVING THE OUTLETS THAT COVER
CRIME, THE FLAWED SOURCES THEY
RELY UPON, AND THE GREATER HARM
IT CAN DO TO ALL OF US.
AND LET'S START WITH THE OBVIOUS
HERE -- CRIME HAS ALWAYS DRIVEN
RATINGS.
THE MANTRA "IF IT BLEEDS, IT
LEADS" HAS BEEN AROUND FOR
DECADES.
BUT THE PHILOSOPHY REALLY TOOK
HOLD AROUND THE 1970S, WHEN TWO
LOCAL STATIONS IN PHILADELPHIA
PIONEERED THE "EYEWITNESS" AND
"ACTION NEWS" FORMATS, WHICH
LEANED HEAVILY ON CRIME NEWS.
AS ONE ANCHOR THERE EXPLAINED,
"CRIME WAS CHEAP TO COVER.
IT WAS EASY TO COVER.
THE ASSIGNMENT DESK SAID TO THE
CAMERAMAN, 'YOU SHOOT THE SCENE,
YOU SHOOT THE BLOOD, YOU SHOOT
VICTIMS, WHATEVER THEY GOT.
AND YOU CAN DO IT IN 20
SECONDS.'"
BUT THAT ISN'T GOOD.
THE MOST MEANINGFUL STORIES ARE
RARELY THE FASTEST OR THE
CHEAPEST.
AND I'M NOT JUST SAYING THAT
BECAUSE I HOST "VERY LONG NEWS
STORIES THAT ARE ALSO EXPENSIVE
TO PRODUCE: THE COMEDY SHOW,"
I'M SAYING IT BECAUSE IT'S TRUE.
NONETHELESS, THOSE FORMATS
QUICKLY SPREAD TO 200 MARKETS
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND BY THE 1990S, CNN EVEN DID A
WHOLE PIECE WONDERING IF ALL
THAT CRIME COVERAGE WAS
NECESSARILY A GOOD THING.
>> CRIME NEWS CAN LOOK A LOT
LIKE ENTERTAINMENT.
>> THE DARK BLACK IS CRIME
COVERAGE.
>> ONE LOS ANGELES STATION, A
STUDY SHOWS, SPENT OVER HALF ITS
NEWSCASTS ON CRIME.
OTHERS CAME CLOSE.
>> I'M CONVINCED THAT IF YOU
COULD GET EVERYONE WHO WANTED TO
COMMIT SUICIDE TO DO IT ON -- IN
A PUBLIC PLACE WHERE THE MEDIA
COULD BE PRESENT, WE WOULD HAVE
LIKE A TV SHOW CALLED "SUICIDE
TODAY."
>> John: WOW, WAY TO BRING DOWN
THE ROOM.
BUT NOT TO STEP ON THAT MAN'S
CREATIVE PURSUITS, BUT THERE'S
ALREADY PRIMETIME PROGRAMMING
WHERE PEOPLE KILL THEMSELVES FOR
OUR ENTERTAINMENT -- IT'S CALLED
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL.
HAPPY CONCUSSION SEASON FOOTBALL
FANS!
IT SURE FEELS LIKE THIS SPORT
MAYBE SHOULDN'T EXIST!
SO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN RAISING THE
ALARM ABOUT OUR OBSESSION WITH
CRIME NEWS FOR A WHILE.
BUT IT'S CLEARLY BEEN HARD FOR
NEWS OUTLETS TO GIVE IT UP.
AS THEY'RE CONSTANTLY MAKING
SPACE FOR STORIES ABOUT CRIMES
-- BE THEY MAJOR OR INCREDIBLY
MINOR -- OFTEN ILLUSTRATED WITH
MUGSHOTS.
THE "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS" EVEN
HAS MUGSHOT GALLERIES ON THEIR
WEBSITE RIGHT NOW, WITH TITLES
LIKE, "CRIMINALLY BAD HAIR
DAYS."
AND "BABES BEHIND BARS."
IT'S FUN, ISN'T IT?
IT'S FUN, BECAUSE IT'S THEIR
WORST DAY.
AND THE THING IS, THE FACES THAT
GET SHOWN CAN COMPOUND EXISTING
INEQUITIES IN OUR JUSTICE
SYSTEM.
A STUDY A FEW YEARS AGO HERE IN
NEW YORK FOUND THAT, WHILE
AROUND A QUARTER OF THE CITY'S
POPULATION IS BLACK, BLACK
PEOPLE MADE UP HALF OF ALL
ARRESTS AND THREE-QUARTERS OF
CRIMINALS SHOWN ON THE NEWS.
WHICH IS CLEARLY GOING TO
DISTORT PUBLIC PERCEPTION.
AND WHILE OUTLETS MAY JUSTIFY
REPORTING ON SENSATIONAL ARRESTS
AS "PART OF THE PUBLIC
INTEREST", FAR TOO OFTEN --
WHETHER DUE TO A LACK OF TIME,
OR RESOURCES, OR INCLINATION --
THEY DON'T FOLLOW UP ON WHAT THE
OUTCOMES OF THOSE CASES ARE.
WHICH CAN SERIOUSLY IMPACT
PEOPLE'S LIVES.
TAKE DARCELL TROTTER -- HE AND
HIS BROTHER WERE ACCUSED OF
SEXUAL ASSAULT IN 2012, BY A
WOMAN WHO NOT ONLY RECANTED HER
ACCUSATIONS, BUT PLED GUILTY TO
FILING A FALSE POLICE REPORT.
THE PROBLEM IS, THEIR CHARGES
HAD ALREADY MADE THE LOCAL NEWS,
WHICH THEN NEVER GOT AROUND TO
MENTIONING THE CHARGES WERE
DISMISSED.
AND YEARS LATER, WITH
UNCORRECTED STORIES STILL
SITTING ON NEWS SITES, DARCELL
WAS HAVING TO MAKE CALLS LIKE
THESE.
>> HOW YOU DOING, JIM?
MY NAME IS DARCELL TROTTER AND
IT WAS AN ARTICLE REGARDING OF
ACCUSED OF -- BEING ACCUSED OF
SEXUAL ASSAULT, ME, MY TWIN
BROTHER.
>> DID WE DO A STORY WHERE THE
CHARGES WERE DROPPED TOO?
>> NO, YOU GUYS NEVER DID THAT.
>> WE SHOULD'VE HAD A FOLLOW-UP
STORY THAT CHARGES WERE DROPPED.
>> YEAH, I MEAN, THAT WOULD HAVE
BEEN NICE.
>> John: YEAH, IT WOULD'VE BEEN!
AND IF I COULD JUST TALK TO THE
"JIM" THERE FOR A SECOND: HEY
JIM -- I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S
SHORT FOR JAMES, JIMOTHY, OR
JIMIROQUAI.
BUT EITHER WAY, JIM?
YOUR PAPER GOOFED!
YOU CAN'T JUST REPORT THE START
OF A STORY AND IGNORE THE END.
IMAGINE IF THE NEWS HADN'T
COVERED THE END OF BALLOON BOY.
OH, WELL!
GUESS HE'S STILL UP THERE!
THE BALLOON HAS LEFT MY
IMMEDIATE LINE OF VISION, SO,
WHO REALLY GIVES A SHIT!
SO THE NEWS MEDIA CAN BE OVERLY
RELIANT ON EYE-CATCHING CRIME
STORIES THAT ARE QUICK AND EASY
TO TURN AROUND.
AND THE SPEED WITH WHICH THE
DAILY CRIME BEAT OPERATES
ACTUALLY LEADS TO ONE OF THE
BIGGEST ISSUES IN CRIME
COVERAGE, WHICH IS THAT IT OFTEN
RELIES HEAVILY ON A SINGLE
SOURCE.
IT'S WHY, IF YOU WATCH TV NEWS
FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME, YOU'LL
UNDOUBTEDLY HEAR ONE PARTICULAR
PHRASE.
>> THE LOVINGTON POLICE SAY THEY
KNOW WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR A
PRANK AT A LOCAL PARK.
>> POLICE IN FAIRFIELD SAY AN
OFFICER WAS ATTACKED WITH BEAR
SPRAY.
>> POLICE SAY NO SUSPECTS ARE IN
CUSTODY.
>> POLICE SAY --
>> John: YEAH, "POLICE SAY" IS A
PHRASE YOU CONSTANTLY HEAR FROM
THE MOUTHS OF NEWS REPORTERS.
IT'S RIGHT UP THERE WITH,
"THIS JUST IN," OR
"BACK TO YOU," OR
"I APOLOGIZE FOR THE ACCENT I
DID ON CINCO DE MAYO."
AND LOOK, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY
NOTHING WRONG WITH CALLING THE
POLICE TO ASK QUESTIONS.
WHEN YOU'RE WORKING ON A
DEADLINE, YOU CAN'T ALWAYS REACH
ARRESTED CIVILIANS OR THEIR
ATTORNEYS, WHO SOMETIMES DON'T
WANT TO TALK WITH YOU ANYWAY.
AND POLICE CAN BE EASY TO REACH
-- MANY LARGER DEPARTMENTS HAVE
EVEN SET UP ROBUST
MEDIA-RELATIONS DIVISIONS.
THE LA COUNTY SHERIFF'S
DEPARTMENT HAS 42 PEOPLE IN ITS
INFORMATION BUREAU, AT AN ANNUAL
COST OF $4.8 MILLION, AND THE
LAPD SPENDS OVER $3 MILLION FOR
25 PEOPLE IN SIMILAR UNITS.
WHICH IS ALREADY TELLING.
BECAUSE WHILE A CERTAIN AMOUNT
OF SPENDING IS NECESSARY, YOU
DON'T SPEND THAT MUCH ON PR IF
THINGS ARE GOING "GREAT."
FOR CONTEXT, ALL THOSE BUDGETS
COMBINED EQUAL JUST ONE MONTH'S
SALARY FOR EZRA MILLER'S
PUBLICIST.
THEY ARE SO TIRED.
THEY NEED TO SLEEP.
EVEN SMALLER POLICE DEPARTMENTS
CAN HAVE PUBLIC INFORMATION
OFFICERS, OR PIO'S, AND AS THIS
ONE PROUDLY NOTES, HIS PRESS
RELEASES CAN MAKE IT STRAIGHT TO
AIR.
>> SOMETHING MAJOR HAPPENS,
WHETHER IT'S A SHOOTING OR SOME
MAJOR CAR ACCIDENT, WHATEVER IT
IS.
YOU GO BACK TO YOUR OFFICE.
YOU TYPE UP THIS LONG PRESS
RELEASE, AND YOU SEND IT OUT TO
THE PUBLIC AND ALL THE NEWS
AGENCIES.
WITHIN MINUTES, YOU HAVE
REPORTERS FROM ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY CALLING YOU.
THERE'S SOMETHING STRANGELY
SATISFYING THAT WHEN YOU PUT OUT
THAT PRESS RELEASE, HOURS LATER,
YOU'RE WATCHING THE NEWS, AND
EVERY STATION THAT'S TALKING
ABOUT YOUR STORY IS LITERALLY
READING YOUR PRESS RELEASE WORD
FOR WORD.
>> John: SET ASIDE THE FACT THAT
EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS MAN
ANSWERS THE QUESTION "WHAT IF
FRED DURST BUT WORSE?"
THAT CLAIM THAT THE POLICE'S
VERSIONS OF EVENTS CAN BE
PARROTED VERBATIM IN THE PRESS
IS GENUINELY ALARMING.
ALTHOUGH I CAN'T REALLY FAULT
HIM FOR BEING EXCITED AT SEEING
HIS WORK READ WORD FOR WORD ON
TV.
ASK MY WRITERS AND THEY'LL TELL
YOU THEY EXPERIENCE THE SAME
THRILL WHENEVER I READ ONE OF
THEIR LITTLE JIZZ JOKES.
THEIR PARENTS COULDN'T BE
PROUDER.
HEY, CHRISSY, DID YOU LIKE
HEARING ME SAY YOUR MCGRUFF DOG
JERKING IT JOKE, I BET YOU DID
YOU COLLEGE GRADUATE?
BUT THE FACT REPORTERS WILL ECHO
PIO'S DOES EXPLAIN CERTAIN
THINGS -- LIKE THE UBIQUITY OF
PHRASES LIKE "OFFICER-INVOLVED
SHOOTING."
YOU SEE IT IN POLICE ACCOUNTS
ALL THE TIME, BUT IT'S A WEIRD
TERM FOR REPORTERS TO REPEAT,
BECAUSE IT DELIBERATELY OMITS
CRUCIAL INFORMATION ABOUT HOW
THE OFFICER WAS INVOLVED.
IF YOU WENT TO SOMEONE'S HOUSE
FOR DINNER AND THEY SAID
"TONIGHT, THERE IS A
RAT-INVOLVED DINNER," YOU'D
JUSTIFIABLY HAVE FOLLOW UP
QUESTIONS.
ARE WE GOING TO A
CHUCK E. CHEESE?
IS THE CHEF BEING CONTROLLED BY
A TINY FRENCH RAT UNDER HIS HAT?
OR ARE WE GOING TO BE ON AN
EPISODE OF "KITCHEN NIGHTMARES?"
ALL THREE ARE TECHNICALLY
"RAT-INVOLVED", BUT SOME OPTIONS
ARE EASIER TO LIVE WITH THAN
OTHERS.
AND HONESTLY, POLICE DEPARTMENTS
DON'T ALWAYS NEED A PIO TO PUSH
THEIR NARRATIVE, AS OUTLETS WILL
SOMETIMES JUST GRAB SHIT FROM A
LAW-ENFORCEMENT AGENCY'S SOCIAL
MEDIA.
FOR INSTANCE, POLICE LOVE
POSTING EVIDENCE FROM BUSTS
THEY'VE CONDUCTED LIKE THIS ONE,
WHICH A TEXAS NEWS STATION NOT
ONLY SHARED ON THEIR OWN
FACEBOOK PAGE, BUT EVEN INCLUDED
ON THEIR EVENING BROADCAST.
>> A SEARCH WARRANT EXECUTED
MONDAY HAS LEFT THREE PEOPLE
BEHIND BARS.
THE TENAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS
RELEASED INFORMATION ON THE
RAID.
>> AMONG THE ITEMS SEIZED WERE
TWO POUNDS OF MARIJUANA,
ILLEGALLY POSSESSED PRESCRIPTION
PILLS, DRUG PARAPHERNALIA,
PACKAGING MATERIALS, GUNS, AND
CASH.
>> John: NOW, IF YOU DON'T
REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE
LOOKING AT THERE, I GUESS THAT
SEEMS LIKE A STORY.
BUT IS IT?
BECAUSE, AS MANY QUICKLY POINTED
OUT, WHEN YOU EXAMINE THE PHOTO,
YOU REALIZE, NOT ONLY IS THAT
NOT A LOT OF DRUGS, THERE'S WAY
LESS CASH THERE THAN THEY'RE
GOING OUT OF THEIR WAY TO MAKE
IT LOOK.
MOST OF THOSE ARE SINGLES.
THAT'S $70, TOTAL.
ONE COMMENTER ON THE STATION'S
POST SAID, "SICK.
THIS IS PLAYSKOOL'S MY FIRST
DEALER SET," WITH ANOTHER
ADDING, "WHO WAS THE DRUG
DEALER, EL CHEAPO?"
AND THAT SPEAKS TO THE FACT
THERE CAN BE A GAP -- SOMETIMES
SMALL, BUT SOMETIMES MASSIVE --
BETWEEN "THE STORY POLICE ARE
TELLING EVERYONE" AND "THE STORY
THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED."
BECAUSE COPS' STORIES CAN, FOR A
LOT OF REASONS, TURN OUT TO BE
WRONG, IN WAYS BOTH SERIOUS, AND
INCREDIBLY PETTY.
TAKE THE TREND OF COPS CLAIMING
MISTREATMENT AT THE HANDS OF
FAST-FOOD EMPLOYEES, WHICH LOCAL
NEWS CAN BE ONLY HAPPY TO GOBBLE
RIGHT UP.
>> A POSSIBLE HATE CRIME AGAINST
POLICE IS BEING INVESTIGATED
RIGHT NOW AT A SHAKE SHACK IN
DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN.
SOURCES TELL CBS 2, THREE
OFFICERS BECAME SICK AFTER
HAVING SHAKES FROM THE
RESTAURANT TONIGHT.
POLICE SUSPECT AN EMPLOYEE MAY
HAVE CONTAMINATED THE DRINKS
WITH BLEACH.
>> THE LAYTON POLICE SERGEANT
ORDERED A SUB AND A LEMONADE
FROM THIS SUBWAY.
BUT AFTER TAKING A FEW SIPS OF
HIS DRINK, HE QUICKLY FOUND OUT
HE GOT MUCH MORE THAN WHAT HE
PAID FOR.
>> HE WAS HAVING A HARD TIME
MAINTAINING HIS BODY.
HIS BODY WAS JERKING.
>> WHAT CAUSED THOSE SIDE
EFFECTS, POLICE SAY, TURNED OUT
TO BE A DOUBLE DOSE OF ILLEGAL
NARCOTICS.
>> DJ, A LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICER TOLD EYEWITNESS NEWS HE
SUSPECTS SOMEONE AT MCDONALD'S
TOOK A BITE FROM HIS SANDWICH
BEFORE HE COMPLETED THE SALE.
>> TONIGHT A MCDONALD'S IN
JUNCTION CITY IS INVESTIGATING
AFTER A POLICE OFFICER FOUND
INSULTING WORDS WRITTEN ON HIS
COFFEE.
THE F WORD HAS BEEN BLURRED OUT
IN THIS IMAGE OF COURSE BUT, YOU
CAN SEE THE WORD PIG WRITTEN
RIGHT BELOW IT.
>> John: OKAY, THERE'S A LOT
THERE, BUT REAL QUICK: THERE WAS
NO BLEACH IN THE SHAKES, NO
DRUGS IN THE LEMONADE, THE COP
WITH THE SANDWICH LATER ADMITTED
HE'D SIMPLY FORGOTTEN HE TOOK A
BITE FROM IT, AND THE ONE WITH
THE COFFEE ADMITTED HE'D WRITTEN
"FUCKING PIG" ON HIS OWN CUP.
WHICH IS A SERIOUS ACT OF
SELF-LOATHING, UNLESS YOU'RE
MISS PIGGY, IN WHICH CASE IT'S A
SLAY.
OUTTA THE WAY BOYS, SHE'S GOT
FASHION TO WERK AND FROG DICK TO
SLURP.
WHO'S COFFEE IS THAT?
IT'S THIS FUCKING PIG'S.
AND THAT SPEAKS TO ONE OF THE
MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH DEFERRING TO
POLICE.
BECAUSE -- AS MANY OF YOU HAVE
UNDOUBTEDLY BEEN YELLING AT YOUR
TV, LIKE I'M A WHEEL OF FORTUNE
CONTESTANT WHO CAN'T SOLVE THE
PUZZLE -- POLICE LIE, AND THEY
LIE A LOT.
AS YOU'VE SEEN ON THIS SHOW,
THEY'VE LIED TO GET SEARCH
WARRANTS TO CONDUCT RAIDS AND TO
GET CONFESSIONS DURING
INTERROGATIONS, AND THEY EVEN
LIE UNDER OATH -- SO OFTEN THAT,
HERE IN NEW YORK, IT CAME TO BE
KNOWN AS "TESTILYING."
ALL OF WHICH SHOULD BE MORE THAN
ENOUGH FOR "THE WORD OF THE
POLICE" TO BE TREATED WITH
IMMENSE SKEPTICISM, RATHER THAN
REPEATED VERBATIM.
TAKE THE NOTORIOUS PRESS RELEASE
MINNEAPOLIS POLICE PUT OUT
FOLLOWING THE MURDER OF GEORGE
FLOYD TITLED "MAN DIES AFTER
MEDICAL INCIDENT DURING POLICE
INTERACTION."
WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS, IT WAS
PICKED UP ALMOST WORD FOR WORD
BY LOCAL NEWS THE NEXT MORNING.
>> WE DO BEGIN THIS MORNING WITH
DEVELOPING NEWS.
A MAN IS DEAD AFTER WHAT POLICE
ARE CALLING A MEDICAL DISTRESS
AFTER BEING HANDCUFFED.
NOW, OFFICERS WERE RESPONDING TO
A FORGERY IN PROGRESS.
IT HAPPENED ON THE 3700 BLOCK OF
CHICAGO AVENUE SOUTH.
WHEN THEY ARRIVED, OFFICERS
FOUND A MAN THEY BELIEVED TO BE
THE SUSPECT SITTING INSIDE A
CAR.
THEY APPARENTLY TOLD HIM TO GET
OUT.
HE RESISTED.
OFFICERS EVENTUALLY GOT HIM
HANDCUFFED, WHICH IS WHEN HE
APPEARED TO HAVE THE MEDICAL
ISSUE.
THE SUSPECT WAS TAKEN TO THE
HOSPITAL, WHERE HE DIED A SHORT
TIME LATER.
>> John: NOW, OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S
A HUGELY SELF-SERVING STATEMENT
FROM THE POLICE.
BECAUSE BY SAYING "GEORGE FLOYD
DIED BECAUSE OF MEDICAL
DISTRESS," THEIR ROLE WAS
COMPLETELY ERASED.
HIS "MEDICAL DISTRESS" -- AND
I'M USING THE BIGGEST AIR QUOTES
HUMANLY POSSIBLE -- WAS THE
RESULT OF AN OFFICER PRESSING
HIS KNEE INTO HIS NECK FOR NINE
MINUTES.
REPEATING THAT CLAIM BY THE
POLICE IS AN ACT OF MALPRACTICE
AKIN TO WALTER CRONKITE SAYING,
"JFK DIED OF A HEADACHE TODAY."
SURE, IT'S NOT "TECHNICALLY"
WRONG, BUT IT'S THE
UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE FUCKING
CENTURY.
THE POINT IS, IT WAS ONLY AFTER
THE RELEASE OF CELL PHONE
FOOTAGE RECORDED BY A BRAVE
SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL, THAT
THAT POLICE NARRATIVE FELL
APART.
OTHERWISE, THAT BULLSHIT PRESS
RELEASE MIGHT WELL HAVE BEEN THE
VERSION OF EVENTS THAT EVERYBODY
HEARD.
AND THAT'S NOT A ONE-OFF.
AN INVESTIGATION LAST YEAR OF
POLICE KILLINGS IN CALIFORNIA,
FOUND AT LEAST A DOZEN EXAMPLES
OF INITIAL POLICE STATEMENTS
MISREPRESENTING EVENTS, WITH
REPORTS CITING "VAGUE MEDICAL
EMERGENCIES WITHOUT DISCLOSING
THAT OFFICERS HAD CAUSED THE
EMERGENCIES THROUGH THEIR USE OF
FORCE."
AND "IN MOST INSTANCES, MEDIA
OUTLETS REPEATED THE POLICE
VERSION OF EVENTS WITH LITTLE
SKEPTICISM."
WHICH ISN'T GOOD!
THERE'S A TIME AND A PLACE FOR
MEDIA OUTLETS TO OPERATE WITHOUT
SKEPTICISM, AND IT'S THE COVER
OF HEALTH MAGAZINES -- NOT AN
OUNCE OF CRITICAL THINKING ON
THIS EXTREMELY REAL COVER THAT
INCLUDES THE HEADLINES "LOSE 9
WAIST INCHES IN 21 DAYS" AND
"NEWS!
A POTATO A DAY UPS WEIGHT LOSS
BY 340%!"
THAT'S ROCK SOLID SCIENCE,
PRESUMABLY!
AND THERE ARE TIMES WHERE THE
TRUST REPORTERS PLACE IN SOME
POLICE SOURCES HAS BEEN
PARTICULARLY EGREGIOUS.
JUST TAKE WHAT HAPPENED IN
CHICAGO, AFTER THE POLICE SHOT
TEENAGER LAQUAN MCDONALD SIXTEEN
TIMES.
IN THEIR INITIAL COVERAGE,
MULTIPLE LOCAL OUTLETS FEATURED
INTERVIEWS WITH ONE PERSON ON
THE SCENE, WHOSE VERSION OF
EVENTS HEAVILY FAVORED THE
POLICE.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS MENTAL
STATE WAS, BUT HE WASN'T
DROPPING THE KNIFE AND HE WAS
COMING AT THE OFFICER.
YOU OBVIOUSLY AREN'T GOING TO
SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CUP OF
COFFEE WITH HIM.
HE IS A VERY SERIOUS THREAT TO
THE OFFICERS, AND HE LEAVES THEM
NO CHOICE AT THAT POINT BUT TO
DEFEND THEMSELVES.
>> John: WELL, THAT'S A VERY
DETAILED PICTURE PAINTED BY PALM
BEACH POTATO HEAD THERE, BUT A
FEW THINGS: FIRST, WHILE HE
SOUNDS LIKE AN EYEWITNESS, HE
WASN'T THERE.
SECOND, VIDEOTAPE LATER REVEALED
THAT THE STORY HE WAS TELLING
WAS COMPLETE HORSESHIT -- POLICE
SHOT MACDONALD WHEN HE WAS
WALKING AWAY FROM THEM.
BUT FINALLY, REPORTERS SHOULD'VE
KNOWN TO TAKE ANYTHING THAT GUY
SAID WITH A MASSIVE GRAIN OF
SALT, BECAUSE PAT CAMDEN IS THE
SPOKESPERSON FOR THE CHICAGO
FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE, WHICH
FUNCTIONS AS PART POLICE UNION,
PART SPECIAL INTEREST LOBBY
GROUP.
HIS ONLY AGENDA IS TO PROTECT
COPS.
AND IT WAS WAY TOO EASY FOR THIS
LIL MUSTACHIO'D WEIRDO TO HEAR
THERE WAS A SHOOTING, DRIVE TO
THE SCENE, JUMP IN FRONT OF
CAMERAS AND GRAB CONTROL OF THE
NARRATIVE.
AND CAMDEN DOES THIS A LOT --
ONE ANALYSIS FOUND THAT IN A
FOUR-YEAR TIMESPAN, HE PROVIDED
AN INITIAL VERSION OF EVENTS FOR
35 POLICE SHOOTINGS.
AND IN 15 CASES, CRUCIAL ASPECTS
OF HIS STATEMENTS WERE LATER
PROVED TO BE FALSE OR
MISLEADING.
WHICH IS JUST WILD.
IF YOU GET CAUGHT CHEATING AT
ONE CASINO, THEY BAN YOU FROM
EVERY CASINO.
THIS GUY'S PEDDLED BULLSHIT TO
THE PRESS 15 TIMES, YET SOMEHOW
HIS PICTURE ISN'T PINNED BEHIND
EVERY NEWS DESK IN THE COUNTRY,
WITH THE WARNING "DO NOT ASK
THIS MAN ABOUT ANYTHING."
SO, SO, SO OFTEN, IT SEEMS LIKE
NEWS OUTLETS WOULD BE SERVING
THEIR COMMUNITIES MUCH BETTER IF
THEY WEREN'T QUITE SO TRUSTING
WHEN IT CAME TO WHAT POLICE TELL
THEM.
TO SEE A LOT OF WHAT I'VE TALKED
ABOUT TONIGHT IN ONE PLACE, TAKE
WHAT HAPPENED IN BROOKSIDE,
ALABAMA, WHERE A FEW YEARS AGO,
LOCAL NEWS WAS EXCITEDLY
REPORTING ON A NEW INITIATIVE
FROM THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT,
WHICH "POLICE SAID" WAS GETTING
REAL RESULTS.
>> WE TELL YOU STORIES ALL THE
TIME ABOUT CRIME GOING UP, BUT
WE GOT SOME GOOD NEWS: THE TOWN
OF BROOKSIDE SAYS THEY'RE SEEING
CRIME GO DOWN.
>> BROOKSIDE IS NOT A BIG TOWN,
BUT ITS NARCOTICS INTERDICTION
TEAM?
THEY'VE BEEN BUSY.
>> ANOTHER DRUG BUST THIS
WEEKEND ON I-22.
>> AND THE BROOKSIDE POLICE HAVE
BEEN SO BUSY.
>> OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL IS TO NOT
PROSECUTE PEOPLE.
IT'S TO SAVE LIVES.
THAT'S WHY WE GOT INTO THIS.
WE WANT TO SAVE LIVES.
WE WANT TO KEEP OUR CITIZENS
SAFE.
WE WANT TO KEEP PEOPLE WHO ARE
COMING TO BROOKSIDE SAFE AND
ENJOY OUR TOWN.
>> John: ALL THAT COVERAGE IS
JUST SO WEIRD.
IT'S PART LOCAL NEWS FLUFF, PART
PROPAGANDA, AND SOMETHING
BORDERING ON A TOURISM AD FROM
OFFICER TEDDY RUXPIN THERE.
BUT THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S A BIT
STRANGE THAT ONE TINY TOWN IN
ALABAMA HAD SUDDENLY BECOME A
HOTBED FOR DRUG SMUGGLING,
RIGHT?
WELL, IT TURNS OUT, YES.
AND I WILL SAY, TO ITS CREDIT,
ONE LOCAL STATION DID DIG A
LITTLE DEEPER, AIRING A REPORT
ABOUT THE FACT A WEIRD AMOUNT OF
DRIVERS WERE QUESTIONING THE
TICKETS WRITTEN BY THAT POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
A STORY, INCIDENTALLY, THAT LED
THAT DEPARTMENT TO TELL
EMPLOYEES THAT ANYONE TALKING TO
THAT REPORTER WOULD BE FIRED.
BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL TWO YEARS
LATER THAT AN IN-DEPTH
INVESTIGATION FROM AL.COM
REVEALED WHAT HAD ACTUALLY BEEN
HAPPENING, THAT IS THAT
BROOKSIDE -- A TOWN OF JUST
1,200 PEOPLE -- WAS HAVING ITS
FINANCES ROCKET-FUELED BY
TICKETS AND AGGRESSIVE POLICING,
WITH BULLSHIT TRAFFIC TICKETS
BEING ISSUED AT A TRULY
RIDICULOUS RATE.
>> BROOKSIDE DRAGGED SO MANY
PEOPLE INTO COURT THAT POLICE
HAD TO DIRECT TRAFFIC ON COURT
DAYS.
MONEY FROM FINES AND FORFEITURE
SOARED MORE THAN 600% TO THE
POINT WHERE IT MADE UP HALF THE
TOWN BUDGET.
>> John: IT'S TRUE.
IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS TAKING IN
$487 FOR EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND
CHILD, AND SPENDING IT ON, AMONG
OTHER THINGS, A SWAT TEAM, A
JAIL, A FLEET OF UNMARKED CARS,
AND TWO DRUG-SNIFFING DOGS --
ONE OF WHICH THEY NAMED, AND
THIS IS TRUE, K-9 CASH.
HERE IS THAT DOG.
AND I WILL SAY, HE DOES LOOK
LIKE A K-9 CASH.
AND THAT'S NOT A COMPLIMENT.
BAD DOG.
BUT THE POINT IS, WHAT WAS
ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN BROOKSIDE
TURNED OUT TO BE A PRETTY FAR
CRY FROM THE INITIAL COVERAGE
OF, "HEY, GREAT NEWS, THIS SMALL
TOWN POLICE FORCE IS APPARENTLY
MIAMI VICE ALL OF A SUDDEN.
ANYWAY, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS."
AND THE THING IS, BY PRESENTING
POLICE UNCRITICALLY, YOU'RE NOT
JUST HELPING THEM DODGE
ACCOUNTABILITY -- YOU'RE GIVING
THEM A HUGE LOBBYING PLATFORM.
RIGHT NOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO
LOOK FAR TO FIND COPS ON TV,
SUGGESTING THE FIX FOR ANY RISE
IN CRIME IS TO UNDO THE CRIMINAL
JUSTICE REFORMS OF THE PAST FEW
YEARS, AND TO GIVE THEM MORE
MONEY.
AND THIS CAN GET REAL RESULTS.
EVEN THE CURRENT RAINBOW
FENTANYL SCARE STARTED WITH A
DEA PRESS RELEASE, WHICH
HAPPENED TO DROP JUST AS
CONGRESS WAS IN THE MIDST OF
BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS.
EVERYONE PICKED UP THAT STORY,
AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW, LAST WEEK,
CHUCK SCHUMER ANNOUNCED HIS
INTENTION TO ALLOCATE NEARLY 300
MILLION MORE DOLLARS TO LAW
ENFORCEMENT, SO THEY CAN FIGHT
THE SCOURGE OF RAINBOW FENTANYL.
AND LOOK, I'M NOT SAYING ALL
CRIME REPORTING IS BAD.
THERE'S SOME INCREDIBLE COVERAGE
OUT THERE.
WE FEATURE IT ON THIS SHOW ALL
THE TIME, AND A LOT OF WHAT I
TOLD YOU TONIGHT, CAME FROM
GREAT INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING.
BUT THE DAILY CRIME BEAT,
WHETHER FROM LACK OF RESOURCES,
LACK OF SCRUTINY, OR LACK OF
FOLLOW-THROUGH, FAR TOO OFTEN,
TAKES POLICE AT THEIR WORD, AND
NOT AS AN INTEREST GROUP WHO
SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH.
SO, WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN HERE?
WELL, THE POLICE COULD CHANGE
THE WAYS THEY BOTH BEHAVE AND
COMMUNICATE.
BUT GIVEN THAT'S NOT GOING TO
HAPPEN ANYTIME SOON, IT
UNFORTUNATELY FALLS TO THE REST
OF US.
FOR NEWS OUTLETS, THEY COULD TRY
AND SNAP OUT OF THEIR AUTOMATIC
DEFERENCE TO POLICE.
WHICH IS ACTUALLY POSSIBLE --
JUST WATCH WHAT HAPPENED WHEN A
POLITICAL WEB SERIES FROM THE
HILL INVITED ON A PUBLIC
DEFENDER TO DISCUSS THE CASE OF
JAYLAND WALKER, WHO WAS KILLED
BY POLICE AFTER FLEEING A
TRAFFIC STOP.
WATCH HER PUSH BACK WHEN THE
HOST SEEMS A LITTLE TOO EAGER TO
ACCEPT THE POLICE LINE.
>> THERE'S NO WORLD, NO TRAFFIC
INFRACTION, THE PUNISHMENT IS
DEATH, NOT A ONE, NEVER.
SO THERE'S NO REASON WHY EIGHT
OFFICERS SHOULD CHOOSE TO GO AND
SHOOT HIM TO DEATH.
>> I -- I GUESS I -- I JUST
DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SYMPATHY IN
THIS PARTICULAR CASE, ALTHOUGH I
DO --
>> YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF
SYMPATHY IN THIS CASE WHERE HE
WAS SHOT 60 TIMES?
>> AFTER FLE -- AFTER LEADING
THE POLICE ON A HIGH-SPEED CHASE
AND RETURNING FIRE?
>> FIRST OF ALL, LET ME JUST SAY
THIS, THE POLICE, NO, LET'S --
LET'S -- BECAUSE TOO OFTEN MEDIA
REPORTS ON WHAT ARE POLICE
STORIES AS THOUGH IT IS THE
ULTIMATE TRUTH.
WE SEE TOO MANY, TOO MANY
DISCREPANCIES FOR US TO CONS --
CONSISTENTLY LEAN ON WHAT THE
POLICE SAY IS THE TRUTH.
>> ABSOLUTELY, I AGREE.
>> POLICE SAY, WHICH HAS NOT YET
BEEN SUBSTANTIATED OR
CORROBORATED -- THEY SAY THEY
BELIEVE THAT ONE BULLET MIGHT
HAVE COME FROM THE WINDOW.
THEY SAID -- THAT'S WHAT THE
SAY.
THEIR ARGUMENT IS MAYBE --
>> RIGHT, WHO KNOWS IF THAT'S
TRUE?
>> EXACTLY.
BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT THEY
SHOT THIS BOY 60 TIMES FOR A
TRAFFIC INFRACTION, I KNOW THAT,
SO.
>> ALL RIGHT, WE'LL HAVE OUR
RISING PANEL JOIN US NEXT.
>> John: THAT IS AMAZING.
IF FOR NOTHING ELSE THAN TO
WATCH BABY RYAN SEACREST TRY TO
WRAP UP THE SEGMENT AFTER
GETTING HIS ASS ABSOLUTELY
HANDED TO HIM.
BUT WHILE IT'S INCREDIBLE TO
WATCH HIM, IN REAL TIME,
BACKTRACK FROM "I DON'T HAVE A
LOT OF SYMPATHY" TO "ABSOLUTELY,
I AGREE, WHO KNOWS WHAT'S
TRUE?," IT SHOULDN'T BE
INCUMBENT ON THAT WOMAN TO WALK
HIM TO THAT POINT.
SHE CAN'T BE ON EVERY LOCAL NEWS
SET.
SHE HAS A LIFE TO LIVE.
AND THERE ARE SMALL CHANGES THAT
MIGHT HELP REORIENT ALL OF OUR
THINKING.
SOME EXPERTS HAVE SUGGESTED
THAT, RATHER THAN GOING WITH
"POLICE SAY," OUTLETS SHOULD
CONSIDER GOING WITH "POLICE
CLAIM," INSTEAD WHICH SEEMS LIKE
A GOOD START.
AND TO BE FAIR, SOME OUTLETS ARE
LOOKING AT OTHER CHANGES.
SOME, LIKE THE "USA TODAY"
NETWORK, HAVE STOPPED PUBLISHING
MUG SHOT GALLERIES, SAYING THEY
FEED INTO NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES
AND ARE OF LIMITED NEWS VALUE.
WHICH THEY ARE.
AND "THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC" HAS
PLEDGED IT WILL FOLLOW ANY CASE
IT COVERS TO ITS CONCLUSION, IN
COURTS OR OTHERWISE.
WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL SAVE PEOPLE
LIKE DARCELL TROTTER FROM HAVING
TO MAKE PHONE CALLS LIKE THE
INCREDIBLY RESTRAINED ONE THAT
YOU SAW HIM MAKE EARLIER.
BUT THE LARGER CULTURAL CHANGE
MIGHT BE FOR OUTLETS TO
FUNDAMENTALLY RECONSIDER WHETHER
THE CRIMES THEY'RE COVERING ARE
ACTUALLY NEWSWORTHY.
BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS, NOT ALL
CRIMES ARE.
AND CRIME IS ONLY ONE SMALL
SLICE OF THE MUCH BIGGER PICTURE
THEY COULD BE PAINTING OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN COMMUNITIES.
THE FACT IS, BECAUSE CRIME NEWS
IS PUMPED AT US 24/7, THE WAY
IT'S REPORTED IS DEEPLY LINKED
WITH HOW IT'S BOTH PERCEIVED BY
THE PUBLIC, AND PROSECUTED BY
THE STATE.
AND LOOK, WE'VE SAID BEFORE,
LOCAL NEWS IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT, WHICH IS WHY IT'S
CRITICAL THAT IT'S DONE WELL.
SO TO THE OUTLETS WHO DO PUT AN
UNDUE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT ON POLICE
STATEMENTS AND PRIORITIZE
SENSATIONAL CRIME COVERAGE OVER
COMPLETE PICTURES OF PUBLIC
SAFETY, IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO
THROW IT OVER TO ONE OF YOUR
OWN.
>> SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE?
I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE.
BUT YOU MAY WANT TO START
CHANGING YOUR WAYS.
>> John: EXACTLY.
AND NOW THIS.
>> AND NOW, ANOTHER INSTALLMENT
OF LOCAL NEWS BEAT POETRY FROM
NBC4 WASHINGTON'S PAT COLLINS.
>> THEY CALL IT DRIFTING.
BUT IT'S ANYTHING BUT THAT.
LOOK AT THE SKIDMARKS.
THEY GO ROUND AND ROUND AND
ROUND AND ROUND AND ROUND!
IT'S ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU DIZZY!
IN THIS PARK, THERE IS A BIKE,
THERE WAS A TRAPPING.
AND TONIGHT, ONE FOX IS IN
CUSTODY.
♪ ♪
IT HAPPENED WAY UP THERE.
WHAT COULD CAUSE SOMETHING LIKE
THIS?
THERE WAS NO EARTHQUAKE!
THIS IS SOMETHING LESS THAN AN
ACT OF GOD!
IT APPEARS TO BE A BIG SCRAPE
JOB!
♪ ♪
[APPLAUSE]
>> John: THAT'S OUR SHOW.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!
WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!
GOOD NIGHT!
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> IT'S NOT JUST THE WORDS, IT'S
THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR!
IT'S THE WINDSHIELD!