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Naming suspect depends on level of offense
Published July 7, 2009
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Glad You Asked
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QUESTION: I am an avid reader of The Facts and have been for many years. I, and many others, have often wondered in Police Beat why some suspects’ names are not listed. I hope this is nothing to do with Brazoria County politics: i.e. relatives/suspects of politically involved residents do not wish their family names be listed.
On Thursday, June 25, on Page 3A, Clute: Ecstasy drug possession, suspect was named. On that same day, on the same page, Lake Jackson: assault charge, the suspect was not named.
We, the people, have the right to know who they are … as you journalists have the right to report and not be kept from closed meetings of the city, court records, etc. Other readers have noted and voiced the same opinion. Please let us readers understand the reason for this.
ANSWER: It is The Facts’ policy to name suspects charged with felony crimes, and not to name people who are charged with misdemeanors. The only time we would not name someone charged with a felony is when doing so would inadvertently identify the victim in a sexual assault case. For example, if a man is accused of molesting his child, we would not publish his name because people would be able to identify the child. In cases like that, we explain that policy in the story or police beat item.
As for the examples you listed, possession of the drug Ecstasy is a felony crime. Assault can be a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the severity of the crime. In this case, it was a misdemeanor assault, so the suspect was not named. Drug possession, incidentally, also can be a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the type of drug and the amount.
We do not discriminate and we strive to treat people from all walks of life, rich and poor, powerful and weak, those close to us and those who are strangers, those who threaten us and those who beg that we not publish their names, the same. Credibility is key to what we do, and the trust of our readers is the only special interest we protect.
Thanks for the question, and if you ever have concerns about a specific item in police beat, please let me know by e-mail at yvonne.mintz(at)thefacts.com, or you can call me at (979) 265-7411.
Yvonne Mintz, Managing Editor, The Facts
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