No, your eyes do not deceive you.
If you're looking at the front page of the print edition and were expecting our lead headline to be the guilty verdict in the Dr. Kermit Gosnell trial, you would be mistaken.
It certainly could have been. And for about an hour, it was at the top of our daily news budget yesterday afternoon as we put together today's print edition and considerations for the front page.
But we instead decided to lead with the latest on the tragic Bailey O'Neill story. I did that for several reasons. First and foremost, it was our story and involved a case that has been commanding headlines here in Delaware County for months.
O'Neill, you might remember, is the 12-year-old who was involved in a playground scuffle at Darby Township Elementary School. He suffered several blows to his face in the short fight, during which he did not fight back.
He went back into school, and received some medical attention in the nurse's office.
A few weeks later, he started suffering medical issues, and was hospitalized when he started suffering seizures. He was placed in a medically induced coma at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia. Tragically he did not recover.
His family was convinced Bailey was the victim of bullying. A lot of national news organizations picked up the story, clearly labeling it one of the latest and most tragic instances of an issue that is taking an increasing toll on young people. That would be bullying.
We did not. We never specifically labeled the Bailey O'Neill case as bullying because the circumstances were still under investigation by the Delaware County District Attorney's Office. Yesterday Jack Whelan offered his take on the findings of the autopsy performed on Bailey's body and brain.
The experts could not connect the fight on the schoolyard to Bailey's death. Hence, Whelan indicated no homicide charges will be filed in the case. Instead, it's likely the other youth who was fighting with Bailey will face juvenile simple assault charges.
I still don't know if Bailey was bullied. I know his family remains convincted that he was. But that is a conversation for another day.
Today I would be interested in learning readers' reactions to our front page, specifically the decision to lead with the O'Neill story as opposed to the Gosnell verdict.
I am aware that a lot of people believe there has been something of a conspiracy in the media to downplay coverage of Gosnell. I can assure you that played no role in my decision. I simply had a Delaware County story I felt was more important to our readers.
It doesn't make what Gosnell did any less reprehensible. For awhile there as the jury dragged on in its deliberations against the doctor, I wondered if he was going to get off. Instead, yesterday afternoon they returned and convicted Gosnell on three counts of first-degree murder.
We bannered it in a P. 1 skybox.
So, here's another chance for you to be editor for day. Did we make the right decision? What would you have done?
Post a comment and let me know!
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