Here is the story Ch 7 could not tell its viewers due to a judge's ruling:
http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1035884
Jessica Heslam of the Herald reports that Channels 4, 5, and 25 did report on the matter regarding
the autopsies of the two deceased firefighters but a Suffolk Superior Court judge barred Ch 7
from doing so.
"While a judge yesterday banned WHDH-TV (ch. 7) from airing a report on the autopsies of two Boston firefighters, several other Boston media outlets reported on the findings. The Herald reported the results online last night, saying that toxicology tests showed that one of the firefighters was legally drunk at the fire while the other had traces of illegal drugs in his bloodstream. At 11 p.m. last night, WHDH-TV (ch. 7) led its newscast saying it had those details but was blocked by Suffolk Superior Court Judge Merita Hopkins from reporting on it. Reporter Byron Barnett did the story, which focused on yesterday’s court proceedings. The station said viewers had a right to know about the autopsies and planned to appeal the judge’s decision."
Source for above: The Messenger blog at http://www.bostonherald.com
It's a tragic case...bad enough that these two "jakes" lost their lives but now an autopsy shows
alcohol/drug use which a) may have hampered their efforts to survive and b) could effect death
benefits for the families. The firefighters' union president had asked a judge to bar Ch 7 from
airing the report, which first broke in a newspaper's online report.
The comments on the Herald story range from "shame on you for reporting this; the families
are still grieving" to "it IS news which needs to be known". Firefighter Cahill's toxicology test
showed a .27. (One comment: "It's unfortunate that their families will now be embarrassed, and that their deaths in the line of duty will be overshadowed, but this is not the fault of the Herald, Channel 7 or anyone in the media. The blame rests with the men themselves.")
http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1035884
Jessica Heslam of the Herald reports that Channels 4, 5, and 25 did report on the matter regarding
the autopsies of the two deceased firefighters but a Suffolk Superior Court judge barred Ch 7
from doing so.
"While a judge yesterday banned WHDH-TV (ch. 7) from airing a report on the autopsies of two Boston firefighters, several other Boston media outlets reported on the findings. The Herald reported the results online last night, saying that toxicology tests showed that one of the firefighters was legally drunk at the fire while the other had traces of illegal drugs in his bloodstream. At 11 p.m. last night, WHDH-TV (ch. 7) led its newscast saying it had those details but was blocked by Suffolk Superior Court Judge Merita Hopkins from reporting on it. Reporter Byron Barnett did the story, which focused on yesterday’s court proceedings. The station said viewers had a right to know about the autopsies and planned to appeal the judge’s decision."
Source for above: The Messenger blog at http://www.bostonherald.com
It's a tragic case...bad enough that these two "jakes" lost their lives but now an autopsy shows
alcohol/drug use which a) may have hampered their efforts to survive and b) could effect death
benefits for the families. The firefighters' union president had asked a judge to bar Ch 7 from
airing the report, which first broke in a newspaper's online report.
The comments on the Herald story range from "shame on you for reporting this; the families
are still grieving" to "it IS news which needs to be known". Firefighter Cahill's toxicology test
showed a .27. (One comment: "It's unfortunate that their families will now be embarrassed, and that their deaths in the line of duty will be overshadowed, but this is not the fault of the Herald, Channel 7 or anyone in the media. The blame rests with the men themselves.")
