Do you think the media should refrain from releasing someone being accused of a crime’s name and/or photo before they are actually found guilty of the crime?

Question

TW⚠️ child being murdered discussed in this post ⚠️ 
This is a discussion I had earlier while online. A girl in a city outside of mine (literally about 45 mins away) has been arrested for killing her son. He was 10 months old when he passed. He passed away in May of this year but they are just confirming that she killed him. She told the authorities that when she woke up he was unresponsive & turns out she had suffocated him to death. She told her “boyfriend” (not the child’s father) about it recently & he came forward with the news to the police & she’s been arrested. The whole town is shook I know people who knew her personally. A few of her close friends feel like her name & photo shouldn’t have been released yet because she hasn’t been in front of a jury & gone to trial yet but she literally CONFESSED, I’m sorry but in this case I don’t think it matters nor do I think the media should refrain from exposing something like this. This girl literally sat online “depressed” about a child she killed fooling several people even had a go fund me account that raised over 4,000 dollars. 
What are your thoughts?

Accepted Answer

I would say it depends because honestly some are falsely accused & their name is ruined before even given a fair trial but in this case she CONFESSED so fuck her privacy honestly.

Answer

No. It’s a matter of public record. As long as they indicate it’s alleged before conviction, there’s no reason not to report.

Answer

My aunt's beside friend was accused of raped, lost everything turns out he was exempted from DNA evidence and it was a case of mistaken identity...
He lost everything.
House, job friends and family...

Answer

this happened like 30 minutes outside my hometown. she’s been on facebook since she murdered her son making pity posts about how much she misses him. fuck her. stupid fucking bitch. i’m pretty sure she also started a go fund me after he was killed and made like 5k off it

Answer

In America, yes. Because people have a constitutional right to be consider innocent until proven guilty. You cannot find an unbiased jury when your face and story are plastered everywhere. I just think it’s hypocritical

Answer

If someone confessed/was found guilty. Blast their shit everywhere and let everyone know what a scum bag they are.

Answer

Posting photo’s can influence the public and could prevent a fair trial.
It may give them grounds to request a venue change, or appeal the verdict.
Just don’t.

Answer

At my high school, a student raped multiple girls. One of the girls had to transfer schools because she would see him every day. He was going to trial for the third incident after being convicted twice when a random news station picked up the story. They didn’t name him, just said a baseball player at [____] High School, but everyone immediately guessed who he was because he had a bit of a reputation. After this was found out, three other girls came forward to say he had forced them into sexual acts, one even on campus. They happened over a 2 year period. 
Although I understand he was a minor at the time of the assaults, I feel that them releasing his name could have saved other girls. If not during the trial, after he was found guilty at least.

Answer

In this case, no. But sometimes police release names very early in the case before they get their shit together and that person ends up fleeing and then they aren't caught.

Answer

Yes. Arrest records are public record.

Do you think the media should refrain from releasing someone being accused of a crime’s name and/or photo before they are actually found guilty of the crime?

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