Behind the Headlines » Naming the Saint Louis football players

Naming the Saint Louis football players

March 11th, 2008 by Steve

An intense debate is taking place within the Advertiser newsroom over whether to name the four teenagers involved in a notorious incident in Lanikai on Friday night.

Using different sources, two reporters confirmed the names of the four male youths, members of the Saint Louis School football team. However, we have chosen — at least for now — not to publish those names.

The two main reasons for that decision are:

1. They are all 17, and therefore still considered juveniles by the courts;

2. Their alleged crime was a misdemeanor.

Generally, our policy is not to name juveniles involved in crimes unless it is an especially serious crime. The logic is that just as the courts treat juveniles differently than adults, so should a newspaper. The public scrutiny and shame that comes with being linked to a crime should generally be reserved for adults.

The story has been a Page One story because of the main player, Gerard Jervis, a former Bishop Estate trustee. If an ordinary person had chased some kids who had egged his house and there had been a car crash, the story would probably ended up on B1, or maybe as a brief on Page B3. And the community would probably have passed quickly over the story.

But, Jervis was involved and this is an Page One story. And it has touched a raw nerve in the community, especially among people sick and tired of vandalism and other petty crime that usually goes unpunished. See the comments on our online forum attached to today’s story.

Many people in the newsroom want the names published. Their arguments include:

1. The four are 17-year-olds, and though technically juveniles, they are young men and therefore responsible for their actions.

2. Among them are prominent members of the Saint Louis football team, supposedly role models for younger boys. One of them was a state all-star recruited by the University of Hawai’i Warriors. The media and the wider community treat football players as celebrities and their accomplishments are applauded — especially those players who are Division 1-A college recruits. Therefore, their misdeeds should also be reported .

3. Other mainstream media have reported the name of at least one of the boys, the UH recruit. Besides, in the 24/7 online world, the names are probably circulating on various Web sites by now.

4. By identifying them as Saint Louis football players, but not naming them, we place all members of the team under a cloud.

The more aggressive media environment that we all live in now means that organizations that withhold these names know they might be scooped by others with less restraint. Certainly, the Advertiser reporter who worked hard to get the names doesn’t like having his information cut from the story.

We will continue to report the story, so I welcome your thoughts on this issue.

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6 Responses to “Naming the Saint Louis football players”

Bo Tosaka [Visitor]:
March 11th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
After talking with a local high school coach, he doesn’t think that UH will rescind their offer if that boy gets in trouble.

If anything has taught us from last year’s team, a criminal record won’t mean you can’t play football. In fact, you might become a local celebrity!

Chee pono!
Chicken Grease [Visitor]:
March 11th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
I will weigh in. I don’t mean to sound facetious at times, but you must needs realize the Chicken Grease’s gear, no?

Steven Petranik, news editor, ichiban wa ALL 24 ALL the time, mainichi desu yoGenerally, our policy is not to name juveniles involved in crimes unless it is an especially serious crime. The logic is that just as the courts treat juveniles differently than adults, so should a newspaper. The public scrutiny and shame that comes with being linked to a crime should generally be reserved for adults.

OK, so, the Advertiser DOES have guidelines on this sort of thing. So, you follow ‘em. No problem.

HERE’s the dilemma though — you folks must needs go back and verify if you’ve NEVER (erratums notwithstanding) mentioned a high school/teenager name in tandem with a misdemeanor or crime having been committed. I mean, fair’s fair, right?

I mean, as long as you’re following what the courts (law?) does.

2ndly . . . you guys may need to come up with a decision fast. If this thing starts to erupt, best believe the CNNs, MSNBCs, whatever, a-gonna come on down here. Maybe THEY’LL mention the names. We talkin’ national, see? And ratings will decide whether the names are mentioned.

Here’s my favorite:

Steven Petranik, shinbun editor, ichiban . . . etc.
4. By identifying them as Saint Louis football players, but not naming them, we place all members of the team under a cloud.

I think the Advertiser managed to put that entire school over a cloud by mentioning where those guys attend. ‘Scuse me, but, BA-DOIIIIIIIINNNG! It’s a problem to figure out whether you’re going to mention the alleged 17-yr olds’ names, but, you have no reservations putting the target on the entire student body? What is the paper’s standard for having mentioned the school’s name? I mean, if you left out the school’s name, folks still woulda’ managed to find out where the four attended, much the same as how those same folks might already know the names of the guys already (small island, people know other people, etc? You know?).

Please tell me your standard for naming the school doesn’t stem from the obligatory “what school you went?!?!?” rhetoric that . . . that’s just getting old.

I dunno, again, I’m expressing as I am and . . . this, this thing might take on a life of its own, you know?

Just ask yourself . . . what’s the worse case scenario if you DO mention the names (that, well, I would imagine, at least some [OK, A LOT MAYBE?!] of which folks whose kids attend St. Louis probably know. And, well, those folks probably work . . . and people at work might know their kid attends St. Louis, and asks the whole, “eh, yo’ kid know th’ guys who w’en t’row . . .”

Bottom line . . . I guess if you’re following your established guidelines (gotta have principles, no?) and, well, I guess if legal says “no, cannot say the names,” then, that’s that, no?

I hope no other body makes you guys mention the names, in this case; despite ya’ll principles.
Geordan Hanohano FTL [Visitor]:
March 12th, 2008 at 7:15 am
KITV has already reported the name of the driver:

[blockquote]Sources told KITV the 17-year-old Saint Louis senior at the wheel of a sport utility vehicle that crashed into the guide wires of this utility pole Friday was Geordan Hanohano. The 6 foot 3 inch tall, 270-pound defensive lineman has signed a letter of intent to play for the Warriors.[/blockquote]
d1shima:
March 27th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Only 3 comments carried over?
Very interesting choices, Steve
Noname:
April 17th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
A proud St. Louis Alum told me this: The football team got a new corporate sponsor. Who? Kalei Eggs
+AFw-')/*:
June 18th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
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