Media
Related: About this forumWhy do news reports - at least at print - refer to the shooter as "suspect"
and talk about "allegedly?"
He confessed, he was on camera, there is nothing "allegedly" about his crime.
riversedge
(73,387 posts)wondered myself when I see those words--alleged or suspect ect
Lindsay
(3,276 posts)he's been tried and found guilty, he's a suspect and the crimes are alleged. It's fairer to all suspects to use those forms, so we gotta put up with it even for those who've confessed.
question everything
(49,044 posts)The Velveteen Ocelot
(121,412 posts)or enters a formal guilty plea - a confession to the police isn't enough. Yeah, we all know he did it, but one of the conventions of journalism is to use the terms "suspect" and "alleged" until there's been a formal adjudication of guilt. Doesn't bother me a bit.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)yes he confessed, but there is a history of coerced confessions, before rights are read, and without an attorney present. If any of these things happened that confession might (likely will) be inadmissible in court. Worst case scenario, a conviction under these conditions could be overturned by a higher court for violation of due process, or a good lawyer could stop a conviction at trial.
So if you call him guilty, you open yourself to liability. There is also the factor of not tainting the jury pool. I am sure you have heard the term tried in the media.
This is just the short notes in this. Hope it helps.