Tag Archives: Tori Stafford

Condemn to Death? No. But There May Be Another Option

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By Jason Menard

As we enter the sentencing (and, likely, the appeals) phase of the Tori Stafford murder trial, the flames of passion sparked by our collective disgust at the crime have ignited the debate over capital punishment in this country.

There are Facebook pages gathering supporters for the now-convicted murderer to be given the death penalty. Others who have previously never entertained the concept now question whether some people are just beyond any sort of rehabilitation. Continue reading →

A Night of Tears

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By Jason Menard

It was a night of tears in London, Ontario.

There were tears of joy, of course, as the London Knights claimed the Ontario Hockey League title and earned a berth in the Memorial Cup. But, more poignantly, there were tears of sorrow as just across Dundas Street a jury convicted a man of the murder of Victoria Stafford. Continue reading →

Social Media’s Growing Up by Learning its Lessons from Traditional Sources

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By Jason Menard

Sure, there may still be some growing pains here and there, but there are signs that social media is growing up and it’s putting the responsibility for content back where it belongs – the reader — thanks to lessons learned from traditional sources.

Two recent examples have illustrated this perfectly. I discussed the Tori Stafford murder trial coverage, and the tribulations it caused amongst a media struggling to figure out how to balance the public’s right to know with its equal right to not know. In the end, especially on Twitter, local media chose to post key messages on their main feeds, directing them to full content on a parallel Twitter channel – with full disclaimers and warnings of the graphic content. Continue reading →

Stafford Coverage Shows Right and Wrong Way to Deliver Content

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By Jason Menard

I remember many years ago – in the pre-Internet days — being upset when, despite all my efforts, my desire to remain blissfully ignorant of a World Cup soccer final result until I was able to watch my VHS-taped version was foiled.

I was playing softball during the game. We had banned radios both to and from the game. We were prepared to avoid all TV and radio reports so that we could get back to my home, rewind the tape, and watch the game.

All went well, until I was about one minute from my home. And then a gaggle of jubilant Brazilian fans poured out of the local watering hole. Continue reading →

Tori Stafford Will Not Be Forgotten As We All Owe Her a Debt of Gratitude

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By Jason Menard

While I’ve found I have no interest in reading about the details behind the ultimate price Tori Stafford paid, I do realize that I owe her a tremendous debt of gratitude.

Today marked the start of the Tori Stafford murder trial. The Crown began delivering its opening statements – and you could follow along for up-to-the-minute coverage in any number of ways. Local radio, television, and newspapers have dispatched reporters to the scene. Continue reading →