Media aids police in shameful 'crime re-enactments'
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The rights of people charged with serious crimes continue to be trammelled by the iniquitous practice of so-called "crime re-enactments".
The recent case of the “men in black”, where the accused where dressed up in black uniforms with red armbands and paraded in front of Darth Vader lookalike riot police is just the latest example.
These charades, of course, have little to do with “crime re-enactment” and are designed as publicity opportunities for the police.
But in the process, the rights of the accused are severely compromised, for these practices are also designed to create a public presumption of guilt instead of the presumption of “innocent until proven guilty”.
But the former can only be achieved when the media plays along with the police, publishing photographs of these farcical playacts in newspapers and airing video footage on television. This is how the public presumption of guilt is fanned.
If the media boycotted these media conferences, or just reported facts rather than publishing highly prejudicial photographs, the police would not be able to achieve their nefarious goals.
And journalists would be able to go to bed at night with clear consciences.
David Brown
