Detroit Lions Coach Alleged Sexual Assault Story
 

So today, the Detroit News runs with a big splash story about new Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia. The gist of the story is that Patricia, and a kid on Spring Break, allegedly broke into a woman's hotel room and took turns with a friend sexually assaulting her.

When I first saw the story and started reading it, I did so with sadness and trepidation. The headline and first few paragraphs of the story treat the sexual assault as "fact". The reader is lead to believe, the way the story is written, that the assault actually happened.

Its not until you read deeper into the story that the writer starts to refer to the assault more like an unsubstantiated allegation. But by then, the damage has already been done. In the readers mind, its no longer an allegation, its a fact that's being denied by Patricia.

Now, could it have happened? Maybe. All Kinds of crazy stuff happens on Spring Break and some of it truly crosses the line between edgy fun and criminal behavior.

Another qualifier - yup, I'm a (long suffering) Lions fan, so I admit to a bit of bias. I'll also say that there's been so much crap that has gone on with this team and its management over the years that nothing surprises me anymore.

However, this is sad. I read the entire story, and at the end, I stopped an asked myself: "How is this news?" First, this was over 20 years ago. And you have to get past pull quotes like this:

Many details of the alleged attack are unclear. The police report was discarded, and several figures involved said they could not recall the case — not the police chief, lieutenant, grand jury forewoman, prosecutor, assistant prosecutor or defense attorneys.

And....

“(Dietrich) pled not guilty; he denied any responsibility for this, and the charges were dismissed,” he said. “Once an indictment is dismissed, you’re as innocent as the day before you were accused.”

The accuser likely did not testify in front of the grand jury, assistant district attorney Reynolds-Church told The News.

The grand jury likely was presented with the accuser’s statement, witness statements and any physical evidence, Reynolds-Church said.

Yet Dietrich is not treated in the story as "innocent as the day before he was accused. He's actually pictured in the story - both as he looked then and as he looks today. The News story says "The News has a general policy against identifying alleged victims of sexual assaults." Fine and dandy. But apparently the News has no problem naming and running then and now photos of someone accused and cleared over 20 years ago.

This is a hit piece, plain and simple. Sad that an otherwise decent newspaper would regard this as news.

Not every newspaper can uphold the fine journalistic standards of esteemed conservative news sources like Fox News, InfoWars, NewsMax, Breitbart, Gateway Pundit, and the Washington Times. Fortunately, this story doesn't have the requisite credibility in the wingnut crowd to be retweeted by the Dotard or his staff as the UK Muslim attacks and PizzaGate did.:cool:

Unlike the vile garbage on Wingnut News, however, the above story is true (i.e., Patricia was indeed indicted and the charges later dropped when the gal chose not to testify). This story is not "fake news." It is true. The issue is how relevant/important it is to the Lions and the NFL. Personally, I don't care one way or the other as the Lions are an afterthought in the NFL.

Let's see. This story isn't about Fox, Info Wars, NewsMax, Breitbart, Gateway Pundit, or the Washington Times. It's not about Trump, or PizzaGate.

I do congratulate you at least at the attempt to stay on topic with a passing mention of the Lions, though the story really is only tangentially about the Lions.

The story may be true. The point, however, is whether the story is truly relevant, since is happened over 20 years ago and nothing came of it. Yes, I get that some women who are victimized like this choose not to pursue charges out of fear, embarrassment, etc.

The indictment happened, but there's no evidence that the event actually occurred. So, why make a front page story about an indictment that happened over 20 years ago that never amounted to anything? Just to sell papers? It sure as hell isnt a relevant news story.

At least it's not JoPa and the Nitwitany lions.

It's as relevant as the NFL and the ownership of the Lions choose to make it.

Perhaps the reporter does not like the team but since you do, why not write to the reporter and ask him what gives? Email: rsnell@detnews.com