Now the Source is stooping as low as to play the race card?

"Most unfortunately, it is also true that V.I. Sen. Liston Davis was absolutely correct when he said if it were a black man who was killed, there would be nothing like the national coverage this story has gotten."

Give ME a break! Hello? The kids family is wealthy - and very, very connected - politically and othertwise. If they ahd been black, wealthy and connected (and yes, there are plenty of wealthy blacks who are well connected), this would have been picked up by the media. There have been murders of white men on STT and STJ that have gone unnoticed. We only hear about them through publications like the Source.

Have to run to a meeting. I do have more to say about this.....

http://www.onepaper.com/stthomasvi/?p=1176614172

Editorial: An Open Letter to Larry King
by Shaun A. Pennington

It's time to set the record straight. Because Larry King sure as hell won't.

On Wednesday night the Source received a call asking that we provide a "balanced" perspective to a news story Larry King was covering. The story? Jamie Cockayne's brutal stabbing death on St. John.

As a journalist, it is always difficult to decide to expose oneself in the media. The decision was made on behalf of a community that is being held hostage by a constant barrage of, at best, mainstream media misinformation that plays into the melodrama of today's television infotainment.

So, given literally 30 seconds to respond to a manipulative, deliberately inflammatory question, we say, "Yes, to the best of our knowledge the police are doing what they are supposed to be doing in the Jamie Cockayne homicide investigation." How's that for a great way to lure viewers and entice advertisers?

Needless to say, we were excluded from the rest of the show.

We don't blame the Cockaynes. They are grieving people who are lashing out in their rage and sorrow.

But we, as a publication that doesn't need to sell itself, that can back up its readership with real numbers, that doesn't need to suck in readers with phony headlines and myth-mongering, are going to lay it on the line. Be forewarned: it's not very sexy.

Here is what's true and what's not, to the best of our informed knowledge. I hope you read this, Mr. King, if ever you really wanted a balanced story.

True: Virgin Islands police refuse to jeopardize the case by trying it in the media.

True: Under the new administration of Gov. John deJongh Jr., the police and the attorney general work closely together on all major crimes in order to better assure successful prosecutions; thus no big leaks or irresponsible comments that are going to prejudice every potential juror in this U.S. territory.

True: Two people have been arrested and there are more to come.

True: Virgin Islanders want our visitors to have the same protection we have against this kind of tragedy.

False: Police have not called in federal agencies for assistance. Anyone who has ever spoken with our police commissioner knows that is his philosophy to do so, and he did, early on.

False: Police have not gathered all the evidence available in this case.

False: Only one person has been arrested.

False: Virgin Islands officials have not made themselves fully available to the Cockayne family.

False: Virgin Islanders aren't interested in getting to the bottom of what happened that night.

It is also not true that Larry King and his producers at CNN were interested in presenting a balanced report on this matter. What is true is that he, and so many like him who think of themselves as journalists, are more invested in pumping up the bottom line for the corporations they work for by sensationalizing the "news."

Most unfortunately, it is also true that V.I. Sen. Liston Davis was absolutely correct when he said if it were a black man who was killed, there would be nothing like the national coverage this story has gotten.

How can we say that?

Remember Leon Roberts and Tristan Charlier, the two New York tourists murdered on St. Thomas two years ago? Their families also engaged the media in their search for justice.

These were New Yorkers! Where was Larry King then? Where was Anderson Cooper then?

Where was FOX News then?

Nowhere to be found. You see, Leon and Tristan were black.

We have no doubt the police will arrest all the perpetrators in Jamie Cockayne's killing. But after all the national hype and rumors and false accusations, we wonder if it will be possible to actually find a jury to try them.

The even sadder truth is this: The Larry Kings of the world won't care a year from now. But we will, because if the perpetrators are not brought to justice, guess where they will live? Right here.

Stooping he says *chuckles*

Are you trying to say racism isn't alive in the US of A? *Refers Bluewater to the Jena 6 issue in LA.*

A black wealthy family won't receive the same response and your high if you think so.

Thanks for telling us what we already know. It takes money and politics to get what you want. The whole issue stinks. And yes the press is marketing the story the way they want to, not the way it is but you know that's normal for the US.

True: It is common knowledge that if a person is black, they do not get the recognition needed for arrests and not as many people care.

True: There have been MANY white people murdered here in the US Virgin Islands that have gone unsolved and again no one cared. 2 that I am intimate with....1- Goerge Brumhall. A very close friend murdered in STX on Flag Hill at Charles Trucking. I knew him well, my husband at the time worked for Charlie's Trucking and sent Goerge over to work in STX. WE were the ones who did most of the leg work and still nothing happened. ( I am shaking as I write this with tears in my eyes). Yes, we believe it may have been drug related, but this kid was sweet as sweet could be AND harmless. Does this mean it shouldn't matter? Should there still be no arrest? The other, 2 of 3 white guys shot in thier own back yard. They were coming home from a night out, followed and then massacred. The third got up and ran and managed only a shot in the arm/shoulder. One of them was celebrating a Birthday the next day and was also going to leave the next day after being here for Hurricane work after Hurricane Marilyn. White and never solved! THEY KNOW WHO DID THIS!!! I KNOW WHO DID THIS!!!!

TRUE: The family had the back up they needed to make something happen!!! (as Blu siad). They have my full support, I would do it too, if I were them!

I can't believe for one minute that this is about race!

"It takes money and politics to get what you want."

Now that's news!

I wish everyone would stop putting up the straw men. The race card is a straw man.

Too bad the source cant hide all of the other scathing articles they've written about the VIPD and the Governemnt. Or, did they think Continentals wouldn't have read and remembered them?

You can read the transcipt of the King interview" here ...

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0708/08/lkl.01.html

couple of highlights or low lights depending

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, what we know Larry is that Jamie was killed back on June 19. He was on the island of St. John with his mother. She was looking for a retirement home and he was waiting to get his working papers because he had taken a job at a sailing club, at a yacht club, on a neighboring island. And we went out alone, I guess he had become lonely over the weeks and a little bored. So he went out alone one night to a bar on St. John and got into it apparently, according to witnesses, with two other men in the bar. His mother admits he was drunk. He left the bar. These two men, apparently, according to witnesses, followed him up the street and witnesses say that they brutally beat him with a two by four and stabbed him seven times and he died that night in that street.

KING: Randi, have you talked to the authorities to find out why they were lax?

KING: You're right. Are you planning any action, Sean?

SUMMERS: As far as civil actions, Larry? No. At this point in time we're just concentrating on putting as much pressure as necessary on the local authorities so that they arrest the second perpetrator and convict both perpetrators of this horrific crime.

KING: Stacey, with your experience as a state attorney looking, of course, at a foreign country, how does this appear to you?

Not too "loaded" was it ...

King sure did his homework, huh? Foreign country.

RL

Yeah, I saw the report on AndersonCooper they also did their homework also.
How long can the family stay on the island. Dumb Dumb as long as they want it is
part of the US. What got me is his mother says when the cops knock on her door
her first reply my son is dead. Why go to the extreme ? I think she knows more than
she is saying. It seems to me like her son had problems with someone. I am sorry for
what has happen but the media blows reports out of proportion.

I think they sensationalize because they are competing with folks who read.

Interesting article published yesterday in the St John Tradewinds newspaper. Apparantly, local residents took a survey last month to guage their view of the effectiveness of the VIPD. Here are the results.......directly from the local residents...

Public Not Satisfied with VIPD, According to Safety Zone Survey
Written by Tradewinds Staff
Wednesday, 08 August 2007

The Safety Zone conducted a survey in July, keeping participants names confidential, asking individuals to rate the performance of both the Safety Zone and V.I. Police Department.

In all 100 people responded to the survey which requested information regarding what changes should be made to prevent crime and make the community a safer environment.

Results of the survey showed that 63 percent of respondents felt positive about the Safety Zone’s outreach efforts and 62 percent approved of the agency’s approach to confidentiality.

“We have work to do, but I knew that going into the distribution of the survey,” said Shelley Williams, Safety Zone co-director. “We are in a rebuilding phase. This is why the results are so important — it lets us know what service areas we need to improve.”

When questioned about the VIPD, 66 percent of respondents reported that police response times were inadequate. A total of 93 percent of those surveyed did not believe the VIPD was up to the task of solving crimes.

Confidentiality was also of concern with 78 percent of respondents believing that citizens who wish to report crimes anonymously could not count on VIPD officers to keep their identities secret.

Eighty-eight percent of respondents want to see a better relationship between law enforcement and the community, 84 percent want to see more “crime watch” programs/strategies within the community and 82 percent believe a better relationship between the community and the VIPD would improve the number of leads and amount of information which residents are willing to share about crimes.

“All in all the survey outcomes will be a very positive tool in planning initiatives for future improvements for both agencies,” said Williams. “I have already shared our survey findings with those at the very top of the VIPD.”

St. John has a new VIPD administration headed by Deputy Chief Foy who is a very positive person and seems to be very open to change, Williams added.

“The Safety Zone is here to help assist in any way possible,” she said.

The next Town Hall meeting for Communities Mobilizing for Change in Law Enforcement is scheduled for sometime in October. A formal announcement will be made in the future. For additional information regarding the survey, call the Safety Zone at 693-7233.

Sherri,

Didn't want your earlier post to go unrecognized - so sorry to read about your friends. I do remember reading about the case of the 2 guys who were shot in the driveway when they were coming home. So, so sorry.

"Too bad the source cant hide all of the other scathing articles they've written about the VIPD and the Governemnt. Or, did they think Continentals wouldn't have read and remembered them?" says Blu.

Missing your point there, Blu, but take exception to the (your) scathing comment as quoted.

In my opinion, Shaun Pennington runs the best newspaper on island and has never baulked at printing real news, both good and bad, nor printing conflicting views in both the active Open Forum and the OpEd section. Unlike another publication which shall remain nameless, she ensures that her staff remain as apolitical and unbiased as she herself is.

I say BRAVO to Shaun for her editorial comment about the Larry King fiasco and thanks to her for sticking up for good journalism and giving the public the truth behind that scene.

It's not about Shaun Pennington's journalistic ailities.

All I'm saying is that I've read many stories in the Source that told the same story some here have been saying about the VIPD and the Government.

I wonder how Shaun would know what evidence has and has not been collected in this case. Was there an announcement by the police? Was the tape collected from the security camera over the murder scene? I'm curious about that one.

Then there's the race card. That's going to get old - fast. What good will that do? It's just a ploy to back people off - to throw off the attention. Want to help the non-white victims? Highlight them now!!! There sure is alot of attention. People will listen. America is listening. Tell their tales......write an article.....ask for help in seeking justice.....tell us about all of the other unsolved murders........Shaun has America's full attention. Or, is now the time to turn inward - to shut out the US mainland because islanders feel that we, collectively, have been disloyal in this situation. This is not about we and them, us and you, them and us...etc. And, we already know the division of black and white will only hurt more. Hasn't STJ had enough of that? Why go back to that in response to this?

I understand that the VI is now effecting the "Crisis Plan" for tourism - and damage control is taking center stage. But, I think all the damage control is shifting focus away from the issue.

What's starting to get me is how my local paper can print something and it is called misinformation, melodrama, hype, etc......

But let the STJ paper print something and it is like coming from the mouth of God.

Why is one so wrong, and the other is worthy of being used to refute? Why should we believe the VI papers any more than the VI people believe ours?

I suspect the truth is somewhere in the middle - as usual.

Has Janie Cockayne yet been shown where her son died? Last we heard from her, the Police and Government were still ignoring her request to be taken to the spot.

I feel like the VI has raised a flag that reads "If you can't say something nice about us, don't say anything at all"

Ps.My peppers sauce has not yet arrived. You must be on island time! 🙂

Just curious -

What is the "Safety Zone?" Before I would rely too much on a "survey" I would want to know more about the instrument that was used to survey and who were the respondants. How questions are asked can really weight the answers as we know from Larry King's question. I don't disagree with the findings just maybe it would have been good to include how the conclusions were made.

As far as Shaun's statement, I think she backed hers up with an example of the US media not jumping on the murder of the two others which proves her point. They did approach and attempt to engage the media but we sure didn't see Larry King and his buddies nor Fox news jumping all over that.

Maybe we shouldn't be taking any opinion, especially those "journalists" (I use that term with tongue stuck in the side of my mouth when I refer to CNN and Fox - after all, Larry King actually interviewed Paris Hilton!) who are quick to jump on something that they can make sensational to increase their ratings or please their political agenda, as the "Last Word." There is still a long way to go before this can even come to trial and now the "release" of the suspect will only cause more furor especially given this judge's reputation. No one should be trying this in the paper nor should anyone be drawing any conclusions. All the speculation and rumor does not help, as no matter what one thinks happened or is happening, a suspect should not be tried in the media. It can be sited as prejudicing the results in court ... we are all too familiar with that one!

From Shaun's Article, copied above...(the race card)

"Remember Leon Roberts and Tristan Charlier, the two New York tourists murdered on St. Thomas two years ago? Their families also engaged the media in their search for justice.

These were New Yorkers! Where was Larry King then? Where was Anderson Cooper then? "

Where was Anderson Cooper then, Shaun asked? He was on St Thomas - covering the story for CNN.

CNN's Anderson Cooper - on 360 (same show that aired the Cockayne story earlier this week), ran the story of the two slain men from NYC back in 2005.

Here's the CNN Transcript.

"COOPER: Well, it started as a vacation and it ended in murder. Last week two friends both in their mid 20s had flown to St. Thomas, in the U.S. Virgin islands, to attend a wedding. Today those friends were buried and police are trying to solve two murder mysteries.

CNN's Adaora Udoji is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ADAORA UDOJI (voice-over): No one knows what happened here in the dead of night on the island of St. Thomas. New Yorkers Leon Roberts and Tristan Charlier could not wait to get here to the land of white-sandy beaches. They were coming to the wedding of a Charlier's long time friend.

This is the story of two ordinary guys from New York. By all accounts, really good guys. Roberts, everyone called him Bugsy, 25, a talented carpenter, engaged to be married.

TOWANNA GRAY, LEON's FIANCEE: He was very sweet, honest. He cared about people. He just liked peace. That's how he was.

UDOJI: His friend was 24, a computer programmer who helped homeless kids build Web sites; an amateur jazz musician.

SIMON DASHTI, TRISTAN'S BROTHER: He was amazingly charismatic. He'd be able to figure out and do whatever he wanted to.

UDOJI: They spent six months planning and saving for the trip.

(on camera): The two men arrived here at St. Thomas' international airport around noon, excited and looking forward to an amazing vacation in this Caribbean paradise. Which means the similarities to Natalee Holloway in Aruba are haunting: A vacation, a vanishing on a tiny island. The difference here is, both men were found murdered.

Here is what we do know. They first checked into their hotel, a modest one off the main drag. They forgot a few things so they went next door to this grocery store and the clerk says, bought toothpaste.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Those two were just like regular tourists.

UDOJI: Touring the sites, later hooking up with the friends, the bride and the groom, for a night of celebration, the wedding still four days away; hanging out on the beach, parties at night.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We went down to the beach, to the sand and we just sat around and just, you know, just caught up; just, you know, laughed, had fun.

UDOJI: Eventually the two friends and the groom ended up here at a popular island restaurant for dinner. And from here, the path to a brutal crime begins to unfold.

(on camera): The bride headed back to the hotel, as did the groom a little later. But according to investigators, the two New Yorkers headed this way, going to a club just a few blocks away.

(voice-over): By now, it is getting late, somewhere around midnight. Club 75, with its adult entertainment, is in full swing. Police believe by 1:00 a.m., Roberts and Charlier bought a pizza at this convenience store. It was the last time anyone saw them alive.

By 2:30 a.m., their bullet-riddled bodies, seeping blood, were found side by side near a bus stop by a driver. They lay feet from the ocean, three blocks from the store.

The big question, what happened after they left the store? The men were not robbed, and they had never been in trouble before.

So far, they have little else, though the commissioner says they're aggressively investigating, with the assistance of the FBI and others.

COMMISSIONER ELTON LEWIS, VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT: We can account for all of the personal belongings to the victims to include moneys, credit cards.

UDOJI: He says in the U.S. Virgin Islands, including St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix, it is an unusually brutal crime. Crime is an extremely sensitive topic here, especially the murder of two American tourists, in a territory that brings in nearly 2 billion tourist dollars a year.

LEWIS: This is an unfortunate incident, but yet isolated. We have 2 to 3 million tourists that visit -- visitors that visit the U.S. Virgin Islands annually.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I never heard anything like this happen before.

UDOJI (on camera): Ever?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ever.

UDOJI (voice-over): As for the victims' families, they cannot begin to understand what happened on a dream vacation.

DESMOND ROBERTS, LEON'S FATHER: My son didn't deserve that. He's too much a wonderful and a beautiful person to die like that.

PHILLIP DESSAELES, TRISTAN'S GODFATHER: I still want answers. The whole community up here wants, the whole families of this tragedy, you know, demand.

UDOJI: It's still not real to their families. They do share one thing with the Holloways in Aruba: All they can do is wait, hope to learn the truth.

Adaora Udoji, CNN, St. Thomas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: One more mystery to be solved. "

Sorry, Shaun did not prove her point.

Thank you Blu,

What is happening here is what is called a "landslide" from where I'm from in Colorado.
As much as it is painful, and all the rest, it has to come down. Meaning the weight of it
all was waiting for the final crack that made it happen.
This is really what it takes to wipe the slate clean again. Right now, if we stay aware,
the things that are not working, will be aired, and if we all are really ready to face it honestly,
change will take place, and benefit all.

"Right now, if we stay aware, the things that are not working, will be aired, and if we all are really ready to face it honestly,
change will take place, and benefit all".

DreamConch, I wish I had your optimistic outlook! I really do. However, the first step would be in acknowledgement of a problem and that will never happen in the Virgin Islands. The attitude has always been to place the blame elsewhere!

How long was it after the murder before any St. John newspaper published an account of it? I believe it was several days. If murder is that rare an event, why the delay? Shaun Pennington is right there the next day to shoot back at Larry King. Shaun, where were you the day after the murder?

The Source ran the article the very same day.

RL