Your choice to identify and print the picture of the person who attempted suicide was not professional and a great disservice to that individual. What good does printing his name and picture do for society? His life has enough traumas without his picture and name being strung up on the front page of a newspaper. Your decision to publish excerpts of his suicide letter defies comprehension and taste.
I myself am a local reporter with 10 years of experience in the profession. It is a journalism industry standard not to identify suicides or attempted suicides unless the person is already a public figure. There are very few instances when that would ever be acceptable. As members of the press, you have a responsibility to use knowledge for good. Not all information is useful or beneficial to society. Would you publish the name of somebody who was raped or the victim of child abuse?
You've compounded this individual's problems in the name of journalism. It is both unethical and inconsiderate. Please be more responsible in the future.
' Matt Gallagher is a resident of Athens
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Letter to the Editor
