Yesterday I mentioned the fatal car crash involving former Congressman Wes Watkins. In my search yesterday, I found several stories mentioning the crash, including one on the New York Times (via AP). Many of those stories mentioned that the DA had suggested that it was "likely" that he would file a misdemeanor negligent homicide charge against Watkins.
What I didn't see in any of those stories was the fact that the DA had yet to even interview those involved when he made those comments. Further, I heard this morning that the DA announced he would not file charges after all. (The right choice as far as I can tell from all the information available to me. This was a tragic accident, but an accident was all that it was.) In my search today, just two days after the crash and the day the DA reversed course, I can't find a single new story.
I bring this up not because I think there's any sort of conspiracy to mistreat Watkins, but because I believe this incident is indicative of a broader problem. It seems like in almost any story, the media will rush to report the worst possible version of events as soon as possible. And then they forget about the story. The result is that all the average person hears is the bad news reported almost immediately. If, a few days or weeks later evidence comes to light that shows that things weren't nearly so bad, the chances the press will update the public is slim.
On a more somber subject, in my previous post, using inferences from media reports, I stated that the deceased couple had two children. However, from what I hear around town, they actually had 5 children, 3 of whom were adopted. So they're are 5 orphans from this family, 3 of them apparently for the second time. A lot of lives have been dramatically changed for the worse. Neither Watkins, the other drivers in this bizarre crash, nor especially these children will ever be the same again. Keep them in your prayers.
1/3/04 The most disgusting story of the holidays. Watkins previously made a monetary settlement of two million dollars to the welfare of the FIVE children he orphaned due to his "inattentive driving". There are indications a cell phone might have been involved. After the lawyers get their 30%, it's less than $300,000 an orphan.Because of this 'generosity' and his public claims of much prayer, he was given a 90 day deferred sentence. That means if he can somehow avoid killing any more people or rolling a stop sign or robbing a liquor store, this incident will not exist on his record. Watkins can (and probably will) leave it out of his memoirs. It's a sweet deal, I'ld say, and there's not a chance in Wes Watkin's Heaven that you or I would have gotten the same deal. Was he just a jerk on a cell phone?We'll never know and he doesn't have to tell us. The DA and the Judge (and those who don't vote them out of their positions of Public Trust) have turned a tragedy into a travesty.
Posted by: reddoran | Tuesday, January 04, 2005 at 01:23 AM