Misconduct Charges Part 2: Idaho Falls Media Fail to Report
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This is the second follow-up part to Misconduct Charges Part 1: Police, Prosecutors, and a Judge Accused.
I know our local Idaho Falls media are human and not perfect, and I think they generally try to do the best job they humanly can. I think they get beat up a lot for invalid reasons, but sometimes they do need to be reminded if they are failing their duties.
There have been at least two major stories lately which all Idaho Falls local news outlets seem to have failed to report. One was the several lawsuits against our city alleging misconduct by police officers and the Bonneville County Prosecutor’s Office. How these lawsuits play out remains to be seen, but they appear significant enough to merit informing local folks.
The recent arrest of Mayor Fuhriman’s son is another case where our media suspiciously failed to report. The Mayor’s son was arrested (as I understand it) the weekend of the 11th-12th, and was arraigned in court on Monday the 13th. Surely the media knew about this, but nobody reported it. Someone even mentioned it in comment 26 of another IFz thread on Wednesday the 15th, but the local media still did not report it until the following Monday the 20th, and even then it was the Mayor himself who held a press conference and brought it out.
I don’t believe the Mayor’s son’s troubles are a big deal to our city, but it was noteworthy and should have been reported in a more timely manner. Were the media asked to delay their reporting of the story? It was noted that Mayor Fuhriman was out of town that week, but he was in town long enough to first turn over his boxes of paraphernalia to the police before leaving.
Do you know of any other local news that our media have not reported?
What do you think?
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Comments
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0 The first point on the lawsuits was addressed as they were filed 6/29/07 and dismissed 8/10/07. No story there as discussed in my post in Part One.
As for part two, the arraignments are public record…true…however, media doesn’t have the time or resources to sit in court every day. All in all, this story did get reported on fairly timely. It wasn’t like it was months later. It was within two weeks at least, if not sooner. This is analagous to the media being ticked off when Cheney’s office didn’t immediately report he had shot a hunting buddy to them immediately. Joe seems to think that the media should have been right on top of this from the start when the kid was arrested. Even if they were asked to delay the reporting of the story, is this even a big deal? I think not.
I agree with a poster in another thread though that the media relies too much on press releases to do their job. Some of it is just plain laziness. Some of it is just the nature of the job–not enough time in the day to dig around for corruption and the like.
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0 0 So what are you saying Mike? This was basically a witch hunt drummed up by our own Joe V in an attempt to discredit our local media for not doing their jobs?
Do you think at times maybe our local media holds off on a story until ALL the facts come out and are available to them, to keep them from looking bad or giving the public the wrong information?
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0 0 I think it’s a big deal if the news begin taking “suggestions” to delay a story, as this can lead to “suggestions” to kill a story. Maybe there is information that the public should know, such as before an election, or a company that is about to enter a contract with the city.
News publishes stories all the time with incomplete information. You state the facts you do know and leave it at that.
I agree with you on the press releases thing. You can usually tell when a story sounds more like a company pitch that they are reading off a press release, and they do it at least weekly.
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0 0 I am not saying this was a witch hunt…seriously….there is no information to indicate a “suggestion” was planted to hold a story.
Does that happen? I am sure it does happen in many cities. We are not immune. However, the inference is that the Mayor planted a suggestion and the media bought it. There was no need to rush such a story and big deal if it comes out a few days late. There is no looming election or anything. My point here is that the story ideas seem to be put out to drum up debate and get people worked up….good for Idahofallz.com ratings….but not serious newsworthy stories or backroom conspiracies between the media and mayor to warrant suggestions of the same.
However, I will say that I agree with Joe about timely reporting being important if there are relevant issues at stake like an election or awarding of contracts. There were many instances during WWII that Eisenhower asked the press to hold stories to protect the troops in times of battle. There are always legit reasons available…and some that are not legit. All I am saying is that this entire matter was no big deal that some want to make it out to be. Now, if they had sat on the Kimball story that would have been a bid deal…however, they did not…so, let’s not beat up on the media unfairly.
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0 0 I’m still waiting for your feel-good article you suggested a few weeks ago. I would be happy to publish it for you.
I’ve stated before we publish all types of stories here, and I wish the more positive ones got all the comments, but they don’t. Is that my fault or everyone’s? Is there really a fault or is it just humanity?
My next story is about weight loss. We’ll see how much traction that gets.
All I’m saying is there are at least two recent instances of the media failing to report things that the public would want reported asap. Why wasn’t it done?
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0 0 Why would you report something that is pure blather? Should the media report Elvis sightings every time they happen too?
If these cases had moved forward and were worth the paper they were typed on, I can see the media taking an interest. However, if we use your logic, anytime a prisoner or convict files a suit the media should report on it. There is not enough air time to report on the complaints that are generated. You also run the risk of desensitizing the public to actual abuses that do take place and need to be focused on.
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0 0 The mayor’s son being arrested was pure blather?
Evidence presented in trial that a police officer perjured himself in denying using a defendant’s cell phone to harass contacts is pure blather?
Cases of misconduct involving a police officer that was responsible for our city settling at least one $50k lawsuit recently is pure blather?
I guess I would rather hear the “pure blather” and be informed of what is going on than to be informed of things weeks and months after they already happened.
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0 0 Your point about the son: it doesn’t affect anything about how the Mayor does his job. You said so yourself. Don’t backtrack to fit your storyline.
As for the evidence of perjury, there is no finding. You might wish it to be true, but wishes and reality are two different things. If the officer is charged, then it is more than what it is now–pure hype by a disgruntled defendant.
I never made a point about the earlier lawsuit involving Moulton and the city. That was discussed at length on previous threads. Nice try but I am not biting on that one. That was legit to report.
What I said earlier in part one stands. If you want to read blather and conjecture pick up a copy of the National Enquirer. That is your choice. It is also your choice to write whatever you want here. However, if you are going to publish stories that condemn hard working police and prosecutors then it should be balanced and fair to all concerned. Leaving out vital facts impacts how such a story is received and effects what people believe. Credibility is important for anyone in the media and/or a site involving communications for all to size up. Part of credibility is being balanced and presented both sides not just jumping on the bandwagon at someone else’s expense. IMO that is what happened here.
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0 0 Why would the media report these lawsuits? If they are deemed super frivolous (as seems to be the case since the lawyer who filed them also petitioned for their dismissal in some cases) and made up then they are just wasting peoples time and sullying innocent cops names. If there seems to be some truth to them then they get reported as was the case with the Larry Lyon suit.
You would be shocked at how often lawsuits get filed against the jail. Lets just say its many each and every single month. Do you hear about any in the press? Should you hear about them? Usually not because they are almost always dismissed without merit.
Lawyers use the “whatever sticks” tactic a lot in defending clients. They throw everything at the case they can in the hopes that something sticks and muddies the case up enough to get their client off. Truth is irrelevant, thats not what lawyers peddle in. Filing lawsuits of little merit seems to be the new favorite trick of a few lawyers.
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0 0 I think we are talking about two different things on the Mayor’s son. I agree it’s not a big deal, but it was newsworthy. I just think the news knew about it and wonder why they did not report it.
Well I respect your opinion but I disagree. I put this out for folks to know, and feel I clearly said I didn’t have all the information and was not making judgment on the cops or courts.
I think you’re putting words in my mouth and mischaracterizing my intentions, but I don’t want the discussion to be what I do or don’t get out of this (ratings for a website, that’s a good one).
Does anyone know of other stories they think the news media should have reported and did not, or that they delayed reporting?
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0 0 Yeah, Dale Storer for one. I know they know about it because I told Channel 6 and 8 about it. This would be a great story to hear from both sides on. Nobody seems to want to tackle it though.
I also told Channel 6 about the Kimball Mason jailhouse tapes from 5/28/06 and the rest of that week he was sentenced(recordings from the telephones) that they should have gotten their hands on that had conversations between Mason and some other persons that were involved in his crimes. I even mentioned this to IFPD to pass onto the Attorney General Investigator and nothing was ever pulled or looked at that I could tell.
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0 0 Yeah, Dale Storer for one.
Do you mean the contract issue or something else?
…the Kimball Mason jailhouse tapes…
Do you mean the conversations he was having with folks about moving the guns around? I remember hearing just the littlest blurb about that.
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0 0 It is surprising to me, in today’s day and age that some people apparently don’t realize that a person can be sued, and often are, for no reason. Anyone who actually believes all these things have happened at the police department, prosecutor’s office, and courts, should just put on their tin foil hats, lock themselves in the basement, and take a deep breath. It’ll be okay. Come on Joe, you’re better than that!
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0 0 Oh Please, are you saying that none of these things happened? How would you know?
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0 0 I’m saying what I’m saying.
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0 0 Re: Dale Storer, the contract issue and the accompanying health benefits he is given….plus his little buddy Perry? that is his “assistant” and collects big money on the city contract for very little work. It is a big time scam these two have going and they are ripping us off.
Re: Kimball Mason, yes the taped conversations from the jail house phone that Mason used after he was placed in custody after sentencing and between the time the guns were moved. It would have been the smoking gun to implicate him and his cronies, like Stosich, who were helping him hide evidence.
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0 0 Oh Please: it’s impossible do debate anything with you when you accuse me of wearing a tin foil hat and not being savvy enough to realize we live in a litigious society. How can I defend my point when you accuse me of being crazy?
All I’m saying is it should have been reported. Tonight’s Local8 news contained a story on a Pocatello attorney who was ticketed for an overgrown lawn.
Which news would you rather hear about?
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0 0 Joe, I was not referring to you regarding the tin foil hat. I am sorry that I did not articulate my comment in a better way so that was understood. I think that we can all agree that these allegations (stories) regarding misconduct by IFPD officers, the prosecutor’s office, and the courts are serious. But if this type of behavior was occurring as often as is alleged, don’t you think that more people, other than inside observer and her husband, a certain attorney, would be bringing it forward? I am not implying anything, I am just asking what I feel is a legitimate question and trying to understand. Are they the only ones smart enough to figure this out?
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0 0 So Mike, Why did no one listen to you? Isn’t that frustrating? Did they think you weren’t telling the truth? Or was it just not worthy of their time? I would be very upset if I knew something about illegal activity and when I went to blow the whistle I was ignored. Please tell me what happened and how it made you feel?
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0 0 I am not losing any sleep over it….but thanks for your concern. It’s not about me….Storer will get his in the end. They always do.
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0 0 This story might not be about you. But you involved yourself by stating facts about yourself. I am simply asking you to tell me why no one listened to you?
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0 0 There have been many posters on here that have talked about Dale Storer? Why such a fascination here? Are you a stalker or something? Wait….don’t answer that! It’s no big deal…..really. Good luck in getting people to listen to you. Seriously……………
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0 0 Oh please - maybe the people who filed these are as frustrated as Jimmie Caudle was back years ago when he was trying to get someone to listen to him that Kimball Mason had stolen his guns. No one wanted to listen to him for years!!!!! And guess what? He was right and our illustrious city prosecutor was a crook. Sound familiar? Maybe if one person steps up and starts yelling, like Caudle did, people will listen. I wonder if we’ll have as much damage done in these cases (assuming they’re true) in the next few years as we did in KM’s case for the last years after Caudle started yelling. If what they say isn’t true, then they can be sued for slander or libel or whatever. If it is true, then maybe some innocent people will be protected. I don’t think we’ve ever actually gotten a handle on how many people were injured by KM between the time Caudle accused him and when the AG finally stepped up to the plate and conducted an investigation.
Interested - I don’t think anyone wants to hear that a person in a major position of authority is committing crimes. And for those who have been the victim, (assuming they are victims) it has to be incredibly frustrating to try and get the ostriches in this community to pull their heads out of the sand and at least be open-minded about what someone is saying.
Mike - good luck getting someone to listen on the Storer thing. That seems to be a real hot potato in local politics. Stosich has been a fixture for years and since he was a former public defender, I don’t think anyone wants to hear that a prosecutor and a public defender were in cahoots. Can you just imagine the fallout from that?
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0 0 There’s not much recourse for people to take after they have been wrongfully sued…especially Cities.
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They proly were asked to not report it too soon and they proly rolled over.