Maggie and Shay gave us inside details from their visit to the Black Hawk County Court House. The two were expecting to see a verdict determination on a drug case, but instead the case was a verdict determination related to a murder. There were many officers present during the case. They estimated 15-20 officers. A person outside the courtroom was telling people to make sure their phones were off. Donald Harrington’s wife was screaming and hysterically crying.
Should we, as reporters, take video of people in moments like this? Public places are open for taping. As long as the video is not obstructing law enforcement or breaking other laws, it is allowed. Rather than looking a taking the video as being offensive, an alternative perspective is to think the video is serving the purpose of documenting the feelings. Capturing the emotion can help tell the story. “Witnessing someone else’s grief and pain raises a high level of compassion.” Using the footage to show the tremendous pain to tell the story of how hurt they victim’s family was by the verdict. Framing footage in this way is necessary to tell the whole story.
Shay mentioned “The raw emotion in the room was intense.”
Another classmate, Nichole, was on the scene right after the crime took place. The incident took place from her current residence. She was driving along and saw yellow police tape. She mentioned, “Shootings are common in the neighborhood, but people don’t usually die.” Donald Harrington was shot by Scott Fordyce. The two’s families had a long standing feud going on. The murder was committed in front of both men’s children.
There was no news crew present during the case. It is important to keep in mind that news crews can’t cover everything.
We watched a cute little video of a child using peaceful resolution to diffuse a hectic situation.
Topic for tonight – How to write a journalistic story based on a court case.
Taking a look at Jaycee Dugard and Elizabeth Smart. Diane Sawyer led the story
Jaycee Dugard was 11 years old when she was abducted by a convicted, new released, sex offender and his wife.
Diance Sawyer, “You would never know what she survived until you see her face change when asked about the past.”
June 10th 1991. Jaycee Dugard wakes up
Jaycee was going to ask her mom if she could shave her legs before the school bus. Walked cationsly up the hill to get to the school bus. She thought the car slowing to her was probably asking for directions. She had been paralyzed by a stun gun. Sharp edges of a pine cone were the last things she touches before waking unposted in the back of a car by Phillip Gurrido. The DA believes any scouted this little girl as a prize for her husband. The driver “I can’t believe we got away with it…andthen he started laughing. It was like the most horrible moment of your life. times ten.
“My family doesn’t have a lot of money, so they can’t afford to may the ransom.” is what Jaycee said to he
She made a note to remember the sound of the train so her mom could find her. She listened to lawn mowers
Police set-up road black and go door to door. Moonlight makes her think of her mother. They would always sit on the porch and talk about the moon together. “I liked the full moon, and she like the crescent.”
Sounds and smells just don’t leave you. Jaycee recorded everything in her book. She wrote in the book that she had no idea what the abductor was planning to do. She wants to write the story for victims of sex abuse who often keep secrets because of fear and shame. Right after she was kidnapped, she was forced into a shower with him. The end of the first week, he brought her a milk shake.
What’s the most haunting memory? Carrying the lock…and the squeaky pull-out bed…sounds.
Diane Sawyer asks, “How did you stay alive,” and “How are you still coping?” Jaycee responds as “You just do what you have to do to survive.”
Let’s get one thing straight. My name is Jayce Dugard: – video name.
Parole officers would visit his house 60 times during Jaycee’s capture.
There are 20,000 abductions per year, and most are returned quickly.
How a story is structured:
What a journalist asks:
Journalists don’t try to understand the feelings of the interviewee, and sensitive to what is comfortable to be talked about.
Matching journalist to interviewee can be important. Diane Sawyer is a good match for interviewing Jaycee. She is a woman with a motherly report.
In looking at the story structurally, there were dramatization scenes. People who work with TV have pressure to find visual representation.
Jaycee’s perspective…learning life from TV…
Cardinal rule in journalism – try to minimize pain / try to minimize hurt.
Find the legal document / lawsuit filed on Jaycee’s behalf.
DELETE: Training press conference with Jody Ewing: The Mark Becker Case — IOWA COURTS – TURNING LEGAL DOCS INTO A STORY.
Journalism & Law 
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