Correction Request: Times Union Reports Trayvon Martin Was Shot For Wearing a Hoodie
Is the Times Union privy to information the rest of the nation isn’t aware of yet? In a report titled, Hoods Up In Albany, an image includes the following caption (emphasis mine):
Corrie Terry, left, speaks as four-year-old Aviell Chairs of Schenectady holds a sign in honor of Trayvon Martin during the “Hoodies In the Hood March 4 Justice” in Albany N.Y., Saturday March 24, 2012. On February 26, Trayvon Martin was shot dead in Florida after being confronted by George Zimmerman, who saw the unarmed 17-year-old walking through a gated community. Zimmerman followed and then shot and killed Trayvon because he was wearing a hoodie.
Stating that Trayvon was killed “because he was wearing a hoodie” is mere speculation at this point, and not currently supported by facts. The tragedy is bad enough on its own merit, without the Times Union fanning the flames with shoddy tabloid journalism.
The Mental Recession has sent the following correction request to the Times Union, in the hopes that they will correct this oversight.
Good Evening,
Your article, Hoods Up In Albany, includes a picture which incorrectly states that Trayvon Martin was shot ‘because he was wearing a hoodie’. It should have included the word ‘alleged’ or ‘believed’ at the very least, as no one really knows what happened as of yet.Furthermore, new witnesses are coming forward to cast doubt on the reasons that Martin was shot:Frank Taaffe, Zimmerman’s neighbor, came forward Saturday to back up the embattled neighborhood watch volunteer. And a new bombshell witness in the case supported Zimmerman’s account of the incident, according to Fox 35, who spoke to the witness.“The guy on the bottom who had a red sweater on was yelling to me: ‘Help! Help!’ … and I told him to stop and I was calling 911,” the witness said.Trayvon Martin was in a hoodie, and Zimmerman was wearing red. When police found Zimmerman, he was bloodied around the head.While it certainly sells newspapers, such a statement of fact when no facts have been established only serves to fan the flames of tension this case involves right now.I look forward to reading the correction.
Again, to be clear, nobody knows the facts in this case on one side or the other. The Times Union should recognize this and report such possibilities as just that – possibilities, not fact.
Mental Recession 