A pedophile, if it be not that app...

A pedophile, if it be not that apparently not a killer. A dozen days after arresting John Mark Karr for the assassinate of JonBenet Ramsey, embarrassed authorities admitted they had the wrongful man. Although Karr confessed, physical evidence of his guilt was lacking and he couldn't be placed at the view of the crime.

Who's nuttier, Karr or media?

Will each anchor, correspondent and producer who shamelessly hyp the John Mark Karr story now apologize for taking the abiding habitation for a ride? Don't retain your breath. This was similar a sham, from the opening gravitys that it instantly goes down with the greatest media embarrassments in fresh history.

A strange, creepy character come forths from the shadows of Thailand and says he killed JonBenet Ramsey a decade ago? A dowdy with no known connection to the family? A yutz whose hold relatives, including an ex-wife who hates him, says he wasn't calm in Colorado at the time?

This is what occasions 25-hour-a-day cable coverage, causes the network morning exhibits to go nuts and level tops the nightly news sum of two units days straight? Aren't the TV tokens who pumped up this destitute of contents balloon just a little bit ashamed?

The original JonBenet media circus in 1996 and 1997 became the template for all the missing-or-murdered cases involving neat young women that followed: Chandra raise Elizabeth Smart, Laci Peterson, Natalee Holloway. Television discovered that a tragedy affecting an unknown family -- what formerly would have been dismissed as a local story -- could be turn rounded into a national soap opera within sheer repetition.

with equal reason Karr was a fake, and the media caravan impels on. But I don't think the public forgets. They should teach this common in journalism schools for a protracted time.

Howard Kurtz Washington situation

Prosecutors and their powers

The merely thing worse than a confession too freely given from a too willing defendant is individual that is coerced from a too unwilling defendant. That is on what account physical evidence is so important.

It is also with what intent prosecutorial restraint is so important.

There were vexed questions with certain elements of the confession from the get-go Family members placed Karr outside of Colorado at the time, nevertheless no investigation was done prior to the arrest. Prosecutor Mary Lacy snapped her fingers and there he was -- held onward charges for a crime there was simply no way he could have always committed. To her credit, the prosecutor finised the absurdity in 12 days.

still if this were an unknown victim instead of JonBenet Ramsey, if there were no pres corps hammering for details, would the prosecution have been likewise quick to admit it got everything wrong?

Susan Estrich, Creators Syndicate

False arrest, false confession

False confessions are nothing of recent origin and don't have to arise from any sort of interrogation or on a level having been fingered as a suspect. After Charles Lindbergh's baby was kidnapped in 1932 more than 200 the bulk of mankind "confessed" to the crime. Before Karr, others manifested to the Ramsey murder. The assassinates of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman in 1994 brought their concede flock of voluntary false confessors as OJ continues to search for the "real killers." smooth convicted killers may try to ascertain themselves the biggest, baddest and greatest in number notorious by falsely beefing up their have resumes -- one- eyed drifter Henry to leeward Lucas (basis of the 1986 movie "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer") avowed to between 350 and 3000 assassinates depending on whom you talk to, and greatest in number were deemed to be baloney.

What censures have we learned from this fiasco? Checking public the evidence against your suspect before letting the cat without of the bag is a profitable rule of thumb. Thailand could learn to guard its teachers better. And each parent could learn that parading a child around with more makeup than Tammy Faye may attract the blameworthy sort of admirers -- Karr unfortunately isn't the merely sick guy who fantasizes about 6-year-olds.

Bridget Johnson

National Review Online

Pageants and pedophiles

From the start [the JonBenet Ramsey] story was played tabloid fashion to excite the voyeur and pedophile that has, thanks to the media, become firmly implanted in the American psyche. The sexualization of the child and of child beauty pageants as an institution dedicated to that drift was on daily display. on the contrary not, be it noted, for a like reason there could be a serious examination of wherefore so many parents should be likewise eager to turn their daughters into miniature hooker for the delight of like-minded parents.

Walter A. Davis, CounterPunch.org

Who's guilty? TV recents

John Mark Karr is common sick puppy. And television novels is one ravenous beast -- abandoning any notion of journalism, proportion or propriety to again prey upon JonBenet's corpse for ratings and profit.

TV recently made knowns has fixated on this imposter-culprit as if he were a world-historical figure -- like Nelson Mandela emerging from prison, no other than bigger. TV news ignored important stories of war, environmental degradation, corruption. Instead, viewers were giveed hundreds of hours of single-minded examination and debate forward one burning question: Did Karr do it?