What is your opinion on this proposed Tennessee law, that would require media outlets to report the outcomes of court cases, that they had previously reported on?

I don’t think it will pass, but fundamentally I like the idea. I don’t want it to be a law, but I do want it to be a standard practice.

So many times we hear of a horrific crime and, rightfully, get all up-in-arms about it. But the justice system moves slowly, and months, sometimes years pass and we tend to forget. Or we remember, but have trouble finding out how the case turned out. I like the idea of the media following up and reporting what the outcome was.

I agree with @JLeslie, it should be standard practice, not a law.

Mostly, I like it because people need to see that bad acts get people put in jail. Like I want people to see the January 6th people who broke windows and charged the Capitol, and threatened the lives of our congressman wind up in jail, or community service and fines or whatever the consequence. Same with the looters in Chicago when BLM protests were going on. All of these destructive acts and felony theft, people need to see we don’t tolerate it.

You have to wonder that an individual might believe it possible to legislate what a newspaper must print, and yet manage to be elected to public office in THIS country. To hear that there is an entire legislature so ignorant of the fundamental rock hard principles of MY country is beyond embarrassing. But it seems that’s the direction we’re headed. And once again, it’s a crowd of knuckleheaded backwater Republicans behind this nonsensical mischief.

Why weren’t they doing this all along? Yes, they should.

Although not just for criminal cases. Civil cases (divorces, etc.) should be similarly publicized. As well as plea bargains and ‘private settlements’.

Of COURSE we would prefer newspapers to print the truth and accurately. But what I read here as reaction to this story illustrates why the media regardless of objectivity and accuracy is useless if readers cannot discern WHAT MATTERS in what they are told.
And WHAT MATTERS in this story is that a state legislature in THIS country is prepared to enact legislation that the 8 year old across the street can tell you is in open and blatant defiance of his country’s constitution.

It’ll pass and it’ll be struck down by the courts as Unconstitutional. The Tennessee legislature has a penchant for this sort of thing.

My guess is because convictions are public information.

My immediate thought is what idiot Republican proposed this?

clicks and reads article

‘HB1219 was sponsored by Republican Rep. Susan Lynn, an incumbent lawmaker who has repeatedly used her social media accounts to promote anti-vaxxer propaganda and QAnon slogans such as “#TheGreatAwakening” and “WWG1WGA.” ’

^^Interesting. I wonder what exactly her angle is.

@JLeslie Extreme RIGHT angle. :>)

I like the idea. If they reported on an arrest there should be followup later with the results unless sealed by court order. Maybe there could be a followup table placed near the obits that lists the name, arrest date, reported date, and disposition of cases reported earlier.
It might look like the “errata” section seen in some publications.

@Call_Me_Jay even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Although the legislator may be a right wing ideologue, the concept of publishing court results is not a bad one.

@Tropical_Willie @Call_Me_Jay All of the LEFT jellies here seem to agree with it. Not the law necessarily, but the basic concept. I think Extreme Right is in denial about the crimes white people commit and especially the ALT-right or WS or QAnon, whichever fanatic group of brainwashed people we pick, does not think they risk suffering consequences. They seem to think they have an in with the police and other parts of government. Reporting once in a blue moon that someone went to jail will not be enough, the extremists will ignore it or blame Democrats. Seeing over and over again courts with white judges in AL, MS, MO, convict white people who are vandalizing, threatening, harming, then eventually maybe the attraction of those groups will be weakened.

Susan Lynn, what is her goal? Who is her target market to teach a lesson? I doubt it is the same as mine.

My city newspaper posts pictures of arrested felons and all ALL court proceedings are published in the newspaper. No law required.

I have, for years, said that any arrest covered by media should be followed up by media to conclusion.

A lot of media reporting is the reporting of court cases. I don’t see any need to pass a law.