The Petito Story

[jficke13]

Setting aside the very real human tragedy, I'm mortified to learn that Nancy Grace still exists. What a reprehensible vulture.

[Jockey]

What's interesting about the story for me has nothing to do with the age, attractiveness, or color of the individuals involved.  What interesting for me is the unique set of circumstances surrounding their cross-country trip, the special circumstances that existed enabling him to avoid suspicion for literally weeks, and lastly, the way modern social media 'solved' the case to the point of where it's at today.

Someone has a different take?  Fine.  Don't particularly care.

Cases with these type of elements are always interesting. My problem is that it is only interesting to the media because a pretty young girl is involved. They wouldn't be covering it otherwise - it would just be another story on Dateline 5 years from now.

[jsglow]

It sounds like there was a resource officer called in (“visitor and resource protection ranger”) who at least provided some sort of counseling and urged the victim to reevaluate her relationship.

https://news.yahoo.com/arches-national-park-ranger-warned-153530619.html

Dr. Black, I encourage you to watch the entire 117 minute video. It's easy to find.  It's eerie for me as I know the exact spot where the interaction took place very, very well. Next time I'm there I'll likely stop and say a little prayer for Ms. Petito and her family.

[jsglow]

Cases with these type of elements are always interesting. My problem is that it is only interesting to the media because a pretty young girl is involved. They wouldn't be covering it otherwise - it would just be another story on Dateline 5 years from now.

Fair enough.  I'm sure you're right with respect to the media.  Real journalism died years ago.

[Pakuni]

Cases with these type of elements are always interesting. My problem is that it is only interesting to the media because a pretty young girl is involved. They wouldn't be covering it otherwise - it would just be another story on Dateline 5 years from now.

"The media" (God, I hate that phrase, as if the media is some borg-like entity) gives the public what it wants. They know exactly how many eyeballs and clicks each and every story gets, and respond accordingly. There's no TV news director or newspaper editor sitting at a desk in New York or Washington saying, "This is a pretty, white girl ... give me more stories pronto!" They check their metrics, see that a story is generating tons of traffic and  - because they need to make money like every other business - provide more stories like it.
If the public reacted to a missing Black or Latino woman in the same way, the media would give it the same coverage. Unfortunately, that's rarely the case. But that's not the fault of the media. It's just the reality of what the public cares about.

[Hards Alumni]

"The media" (God, I hate that phrase, as if the media is some borg-like entity) gives the public what it wants. They know exactly how many eyeballs and clicks each and every story gets, and respond accordingly. There's no TV news director or newspaper editor sitting at a desk in New York or Washington saying, "This is a pretty, white girl ... give me more stories pronto!" They check their metrics, see that a story is generating tons of traffic and  - because they need to make money like every other business - provide more stories like it.
If the public reacted to a missing Black or Latino woman in the same way, the media would give it the same coverage. Unfortunately, that's rarely the case. But that's not the fault of the media. It's just the reality of what the public cares about.

If it bleeds, it leads!  I haven't read a minute of this story, because interest in things like this feel like tragedy porn.  I understand the intrigue and mystery are playing out in real time, and that is what is driving the eyes.

[jsglow]

If it bleeds, it leads!  I haven't read a minute of this story, because interest in things like this feel like tragedy porn.  I understand the intrigue and mystery are playing out in real time, and that is what is driving the eyes.

Not that this is nearly on the same level but did you pay attention to OJ?

(BTW, YES, he did it.)

[Hards Alumni]

Not that this is nearly on the same level but did you pay attention to OJ?

(BTW, YES, he did it.)

I was in 8th grade when the verdict was read out during lunch hour.  Myself and 3 other students were watching with a handful of teachers.  Two hand touch football could wait that day. 

[jsglow]

I was in 8th grade when the verdict was read out during lunch hour.  Myself and 3 other students were watching with a handful of teachers.  Two hand touch football could wait that day.

We all remember where we were.  Chick and I had taken our young kids to the local petting zoo.

So the interesting thing Hards is that you were a bit too young to have followed the entire matter in a discerning way as it was happening in real time from the night it happened through the Bronco chase to the eventual trial. I'm always actually fascinated by it all, maybe mostly about the reams of misinformation that routinely follows along in such a case. And then I'm interested how history treats it 20 and 30 years later.

[tower912]

I believe he did it.   I believe the defense attorneys kicked the prosecution's butt sideways to the point that I understand enough jurors having reasonable doubt.

[Hards Alumni]

We all remember where we were.  Chick and I had taken our young kids to the local petting zoo.

So the interesting thing Hards is that you were a bit too young to have followed the entire matter in a discerning way as it was happening in real time from the night it happened through the Bronco chase to the eventual trial. I'm always actually fascinated by it all, maybe mostly about the reams of misinformation that routinely follows along in such a case. And then I'm interested how history treats it 20 and 30 years later.

I watched the Bronco chase live while on vacation in Colorado.  I believe we were staying in Silverton, and I can still see the tiny TV  and small room where we watched it.

[Pakuni]

I believe he did it.   I believe the defense attorneys kicked the prosecution's butt sideways to the point that I understand enough jurors having reasonable doubt.

He 100 percent did it, and it probably was the correct verdict because the prosecution was inept and didn't prove it beyond a reasonable doubt (though I do believe a guilty verdict would have been justifiable as well).

[MuggsyB]

Setting aside the very real human tragedy, I'm mortified to learn that Nancy Grace still exists. What a reprehensible vulture.

She is very easy to dislike. 

[MU82]

Cases with these type of elements are always interesting. My problem is that it is only interesting to the media because a pretty young girl is involved. They wouldn't be covering it otherwise - it would just be another story on Dateline 5 years from now.

Jock, you are quick to call out others for making sweeping, inaccurate generalizations, and rightfully so. So it's sad to see you make one here.

Because this:

"The media" (God, I hate that phrase, as if the media is some borg-like entity) gives the public what it wants. They know exactly how many eyeballs and clicks each and every story gets, and respond accordingly. There's no TV news director or newspaper editor sitting at a desk in New York or Washington saying, "This is a pretty, white girl ... give me more stories pronto!" They check their metrics, see that a story is generating tons of traffic and  - because they need to make money like every other business - provide more stories like it.
If the public reacted to a missing Black or Latino woman in the same way, the media would give it the same coverage. Unfortunately, that's rarely the case. But that's not the fault of the media. It's just the reality of what the public cares about.

And glow, sorry, but this is both silly and inaccurate:

Real journalism died years ago.

I'm not sure what y'all consider "the media" or "real journalism."

The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, the AP, Washington Post, Reuters and many others -- even including the news operations at Fox News and CNN -- do "real journalism" every day.

It doesn't mean they are perfect, that they never get anything wrong, or that they don't have people in their newsrooms or ivory towers with agendas. But they all have a lot of extremely hard-working journalists seeking to report the truth.

Even though the news business is not what it used to be because of financial constraints, I still am grateful for the journalists who have made it their lives' work to inform the public, to search for truth and to hold those in power accountable.

[Galway Eagle]

They're bringing in a team of divers to search today wonder if that means they think he drowned?

[MuggsyB]

They're bringing in a team of divers to search today wonder if that means they think he drowned?

There are apparently large alligators in those swamps.  If he is actually in this preserve he would have lost badly in a confrontation with them Galway.  The jaw strength of these guys is rather impressive.  Who knows if he's even there but maybe he was attacked with great force and zero mercy?

[Galway Eagle]

There are apparently large alligators in those swamps.  If he is actually in this preserve he would have lost badly in a confrontation with them Galway.  The jaw strength of these guys is rather impressive.  Who knows if he's even there but maybe he was attacked with great force and zero mercy?

One could only hope...

[swoopem]

I’m thinking he committed suicide and hoped the gators got him

[jsglow]

Jock, you are quick to call out others for making sweeping, inaccurate generalizations, and rightfully so. So it's sad to see you make one here.

Because this:

And glow, sorry, but this is both silly and inaccurate:

I'm not sure what y'all consider "the media" or "real journalism."

The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, the AP, Washington Post, Reuters and many others -- even including the news operations at Fox News and CNN -- do "real journalism" every day.

It doesn't mean they are perfect, that they never get anything wrong, or that they don't have people in their newsrooms or ivory towers with agendas. But they all have a lot of extremely hard-working journalists seeking to report the truth.

Even though the news business is not what it used to be because of financial constraints, I still am grateful for the journalists who have made it their lives' work to inform the public, to search for truth and to hold those in power accountable.

Sorry. I couldn't disagree with you more. While there are certainly journalists attempting to deliver the facts, that's simply not how the news dissemination business works today.  It's all narrative driven in my view.   I'll suggest that our views on this topic might be partly attributable to our divergent political beliefs so let's leave it friendly at that.

[muwarrior69]

Because the sheriff's department in the Middle of Nowhere, Utah, has clinical psychologists on call 24/7 that can get there as quickly as the cops to handle the situation?

You Monday Morning quarterbacks fascinate me.
While we are at it, they should have had cameras all over the entire National Park, including inside the couple's van, so that the police could review footage and see what had actually happened.

[/color]

Sounds like the UK with CCTV cameras everywhere.

[muwarrior69]

I believe he did it.   I believe the defense attorneys kicked the prosecution's butt sideways to the point that I understand enough jurors having reasonable doubt.

I believe he did it too, but if I were on the jury I would have found him not guilty as the prosecution did not prove their case.

[MU82]

Sorry. I couldn't disagree with you more. While there are certainly journalists attempting to deliver the facts, that's simply not how the news dissemination business works today.  It's all narrative driven in my view.   I'll suggest that our views on this topic might be partly attributable to our divergent political beliefs so let's leave it friendly at that.

We'll agree to disagree, glow.

Maybe someday, we can sit down over a beer and talk about how each of us defines "real journalism."

[MuggsyB]

I’m thinking he committed suicide and hoped the gators got him

Well if his intention was to commit suicide from Gator chomps I would imagine that's rather unpleasant.  He may be a delusional sociopath but I assure you that doesn't feel like a body massage.  He would have died in screaming pain and incalculable fear.

[forgetful]

"The media" (God, I hate that phrase, as if the media is some borg-like entity) gives the public what it wants. They know exactly how many eyeballs and clicks each and every story gets, and respond accordingly. There's no TV news director or newspaper editor sitting at a desk in New York or Washington saying, "This is a pretty, white girl ... give me more stories pronto!" They check their metrics, see that a story is generating tons of traffic and  - because they need to make money like every other business - provide more stories like it.
If the public reacted to a missing Black or Latino woman in the same way, the media would give it the same coverage. Unfortunately, that's rarely the case. But that's not the fault of the media. It's just the reality of what the public cares about.

This in part is true, but sociology and psychology have studied this intensively, and they do observe a direct bias towards reporting on cases like this that involve pretty young white women.

The reason isn't directly racism, but simply on what moves peoples needle. People react stronger if they can relate to the story or event. Those making initial media/reporting decisions typically tend to be white, so they look at a tragedy involving a pretty young white woman and think "that could have been my daughter/wife/friend" and report on it.

That draws in eyeballs/social media comments, because the bulk of our population "that could have been my daughter/wife/friend."

Sadly, we don't see similar reports on minorities, or people from poor communities, because we haven't advanced as a society far enough that we reflect on these communities the same way. In many ways, people view them as "others" not like them and hence do not react as strongly.

[Galway Eagle]

Well if his intention was to commit suicide from Gator chomps I would imagine that's rather unpleasant.  He may be a delusional sociopath but I assure you that doesn't feel like a body massage.  He would have died in screaming pain and incalculable fear.

One can only hope