Hey someone been murdered. Let's all talkabout it here

[GordianKnot]

Ok?
Who do you think did it? Bearing in mind what you saw on the news?

The probl is that the law has not kept up with new media and therefore chat rooms are a grey area.

That said, from a media pov they have more leeway on arrest , but the main thing is not to say the guy is guilty. They can give all sorts of background at the moment but thru can't put someone on telly saying " yeah I saw him do it."

If he is charged things become much stricter.

But implying someone is guilty is also unethical - potential jurors may read this thread and remember some comments.

I just looked at your link on the MNHQ thread, and did the quiz thing and from that I gathered that reporting anything which could suggest he is of 'bad character' is generally considered in contempt.

There's been loads of that in the press - which I shan't repeat - but absolutely loads of it about thing he might have done in the past, etc etc.

Interestingly it didn't say anything about mentioning other cases in relation to the arrested party, as long as he had not been convicted or charged in those cases.

You can't say for instance 'this person was charged with such and such' or 'this person once peed in a flower pot'. (obv unrelated to case in question)

There is the letter of thd law and then how it works in practice. The media will push it as far as it will go and have more leeway as he hasn't been charged.

If he is charged the speculation will be curtailed.

Also I think the Attorney General is trying to rein in sections of 'the media as they are risking prejudice with some of the coverage.

He's been released.