TODAY'S front page is one of those on which the newsroom all had a say, as we often do for court cases.
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It wasn't just discourse about the lawful responsibilities we always review when publishing sensitive stories. It was a sincere and searching conversation about the impact such a story could have on the people it names, especially in a small community. Just as importantly, we talked about the impact such a story could have on the people it did not name: the families and the friends.
Facts tendered in an open court are a matter of public record, and part of a paper's community coverage. There's no doubt it's difficult to read a court report when it's about something or someone so close to home; but it's important they are read, nonetheless, as they do serve a purpose beyond mere words on a page.
Newspaper court reports clarify the who, what, where and why, and how the magistrate weighed them up. Any loose town talk sluicing through the streets will soon be dammed by the undeniable wall of facts; which is to say, no one can claim anything worse of the case than what was reported in black and white.
There is also a cautionary purpose, in that the public may know the consequences those actions bring. It communicates that for crimes, there are punishments, and this is also core to a community's needs. A community needs to be reassured that, before the law, all are equal, even if it brings hurt or shame.
It's also a way for those convicted to begin to give back that which they have wrongfully gained. It's a chance to own up and begin to walk a rocky road through remorse, redemption, and reputation.
That means it's also a chance for a community to bear witness and start on the road to forgiveness.
In the court's offices, there's a small sign urging passers-by to be patient with the people they meet today. Essentially, the little-seen sign reads: 'Be kind - everyone you meet may be fighting a hard battle.'
For some, that battle began long before they crossed the threshold into the dock of the court; and the battle, or another like it, will continue for them long after they leave, as free people or felons.