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Mature adults are invited to a program lecture about “Big Sur Wild California” today at 1 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 17, at the Pleasanton Public Library, 400 Old Bernal Ave. National Geographic presents a comprehensive view of the spectacular California coastal area known as Big Sur – through the eyes of three intrinsically connected native creatures. Call 931-3405.
By Amory Gutierrez
Glenn Wohltmann and PW are way out of line here. Unfortunately there are links to report objectionable content for comments, but not for the article itself.
Innocent until proven guilty, do NOT need his picture. What journalistic value does it serve?!?!
Sounds like this guy didn’t get along with this girl to well and she decided to get even by making up a story two months old so it can’t be shown she’s lying. At least thats the assumption we should all make until its been proven otherwise and decided by a jury.
Pleasanton Weekly has done the community and this guy a diservice with its approach here.
Having had an awful experience where a friend was falsely accused I would like to interject some relevant points:
There are more than 100 false accusations made in the Tri-Valley area each year.
Most never get past the initial investigation.
Most are made by girls who have been in consenting situations and then get “caught” by family, so they make themselves a victim.
For the young man to be arrested means there is more than a smoking gun.
Having said all that, I agree that he is innocent until proven guilty, This is an arrest, not a conviction.
I think would be interesting to know how many of the above posters who don’t state their gender are male. I agree that the picture and story of someone “arrested on suspicion of” is very damaging to someone who may be innocent. However, it is commom for papers to report on and print pictures of adults arrested for crimes they are not proven guilty of committing. Ernest Scherer and Henry Germain are local cases that come to mind. This young man is young, but an adult in the eyes of the law.
But for so many to assume that the girl is lying is troubling to me. I would strongly believe that there are many more non-reported incidents of rape/sexual assault than there are falsely accused people. Coming forward is not an easy thing for a victim. Obviously and sadly there is much antagonism against girls/women who do, which exerts pressure to be silent, which is one of the charges against this young man.
A person in our legal system IS innocent until proven guilty. This should apply to the possible victim, also. For so many to imply that she is probably lying is a shame. Say the paper is wrong for treating a suspected criminal this way NOT that the suspected victim is the guilty one.
If the young women is accused of making false charges against him, then let’s see her picture and charges published, too. We definitely should not let women who make false charges get a free ride publicity-wise either.
All these guys that are so indignant would be ready to kill the guy if the girl were there daughter. This may sound bad, but if you are an upper middle class white who gets arrested you are going to be in the paper. If you are a black that lives in the projects no one will ever know.
Oh..Ok StevieP…your point is that because this guy has been “tried and convicted” in the local media, it is ok for other media, like the Pleasanton Weekly, to “pile on” and further convict him in the public eye, before a trial occurs.
Your logic is … well … illogical.
The NC Mike Nifong law offices have a job opportunity for you as their PR Director. Or you’d fit in well at the leftist Pleasanton Weekly offices, as well.
It is our policy, as well as the policy of just about every other media organization in the country, to name adults arrested and charged with crimes of this nature. We will follow this story and continue to report on it as it goes through the court system.
He is 19 and considered an adult. How do we know if he may have done this at high school also and the girls were afraid to come forward? Yes he is inocent until proven guilty, but publishing his picture may bring more things out of the woodwork. I feel bad for his family, and do hope that the right justice will be served.
The other resident here 😉
I don’t want to appear to be too wrapped up in this issue, but I did want to return to my original point that the young man was arrested, but if the investigation is ongoing, he has yet to be charged. The police make the arrest, but the district attorney is responsible for bringing the charge. Therefore your headline is inaccurate. I think that accurate reporting should be expected in a case that is so potentially damaging to many on all sides of the event.
Practice what you peach “it is our duty to report the news” I get that, like I stated before 2 men in the ages of 40-50 we arrested with evidence on tools and materials to make the drug known as meth in a garage in the city of Pleasanton, which PW reported on , and with the Pleasanton Police finding evidence that was filmed on the TV report also their picture was given out to the media.. again if the PW is gonna “stand by” their policies of “news reporting” if they can tell me why they feel the need not to post a picture of “meth makers” that are making meth in my town
waiting for the PW resonse to my question
Actually, I’d be more interested in seeing a photo posted of the woman who was recently arrested for DUI.