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Crime and Court Stories Preview Stories

Crime and Court Stories Preview Stories. The Criminal Process. Arrest Booking at police station Initial appearance Grand jury indictment or prosecutor’s information Arraignment in trial court Pretrial hearings Trial Sentencing Appeal. Crime Stories.

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Crime and Court Stories Preview Stories

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  1. Crime and Court StoriesPreview Stories

  2. The Criminal Process • Arrest • Booking at police station • Initial appearance • Grand jury indictment or prosecutor’s information • Arraignment in trial court • Pretrial hearings • Trial • Sentencing • Appeal

  3. Crime Stories • If you are writing about an arrest before the official charge • Don’t say, “Jane Natt was arrested for robbing the bank.” • Do say, “Jane Natt was arrested in connection with the bank robbery.” • After the charges, say, “Jane Natt was charged with bank robbery” or “Jane Natt was arrested on a charge of bank robbery.” • Avoid the word “alleged” whenever possible. • “Natt allegedly robbed the bank,” means you, the writer, are the source of the allegation • Remember police rarely allege; they accuse. So don’t say “Police accused Natt of allegedly robbing the bank.” • You can use alleged when the crime itself is in question, i.e., “the alleged rape.”

  4. Crime Stories • A person is accused of, not with, a crime • Don’t say “accused robber Jane Natt.” Again, that convicts me. Say, “Jane Natt, accused of bank robbery,” • Attribute all accusatory information • Police cannot charge anyone with a crime • A person can be arrested on charges of murder, but he or she is not a murderer until convicted of that crime • Use slain or killed instead of murdered

  5. Court Stories • Get reactions, facial expressions, and gestures • Use descriptive detail and color • Lively quotes, dramatic testimony and dialogue • Translate all jargon and legal terminology • State exact charges in the story • Give the background of the crime, no matter how many stories have been published about the case

  6. Court Stories • Include the name of the court where the trial or hearing is being held • Get comments from everyone involved • In verdict stories, include how long the jury deliberated • Also include how many jurors were on the case • Write the next step—the next court appearance, or in verdict stories, plans for an appeal if the defendant is found guilty • In sentencing stories, get it right -- concurrently vs. consecutively

  7. Find the Mistakes!!!

  8. Preview Stories • Lead with something interesting about the event • Give all relevant details • Time, date, place, ticket prices, other details • Provide background information • Include quotes if possible • Tell the story of the event • How did the event come to be? Is it annual? • Provide a history of the group (groups) involved

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