I'll bet there's more to it than that

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Tue Feb 25, 2003 2:54 pm

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - A "very unstable" man opened fire Tuesday during an argument over a CD player at a temporary employment agency, killing four fellow job-seekers and wounding a fifth.

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Wed Feb 26, 2003 4:39 pm

Today: HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) â€” Police charged a day laborer with capital murder Wednesday in the killings of four people gunned down at a temporary employment agency after an argument over a CD player.***Someone's not listening.***

rumymommy · **Joined:** Tue Aug 06, 2002 12:01 am **Posts:** 138

While you're likely correct that there's more to the incident (I would hope a lot more), there's nothing wrong with that statement. If they got into an argument about a CD player and then the guy went nuts, that's what happened, regardless of the deeper issues. If they find out later what was behind this guy being set off, that should be reported, too. But it's not inaccurate as is.

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Wed Feb 26, 2003 11:25 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by 4Jfan:
While you're likely correct that there's more to the incident (I would hope a lot more), there's nothing wrong with that statement. If they got into an argument about a CD player and then the guy went nuts, that's what happened, regardless of the deeper issues. If they find out later what was behind this guy being set off, that should be reported, too. But it's not inaccurate as is.<hr></blockquote>This device, which I call the "Man Kills Family After Wife Burns Toast" lead, is an AP favorite. It's stupid and must stop. (Regardless of whether the CD player argument--whatever it might have been--"set off" the man, putting it in the lead implies a causal relationship.)[ February 26, 2003: Message edited by: blanp ]

jmcg · **Posted:** Thu Feb 27, 2003 8:00 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by blanp:
This device, which I call the "Man Kills Family After Wife Burns Toast" lead, is an AP favorite. It's stupid and must stop. (Regardless of whether the CD player argument--whatever it might have been--"set off" the man, putting it in the lead implies a causal relationship.)[ February 26, 2003: Message edited by: blanp ]<hr></blockquote>A favorite twist (of both mine and AP's, albeit for different reasons) of the "Man Kills Family After Wife Burns Toast" story is to pack even more detail into the lede. The killer/husband had a drug problem, the story might say. After wiping out his family, he might have holed up in a cheap motel watching kiddie porn videos for a few months, the story would continue. Upon emerging, the guy might have gone off-shore and hooked up with "fugitive financier Robert Vesco" in a "scheme" to rearm the Taliban. Finally he might have turned himself in after seeing Jesus himself. Say it all, high in the story. Just add the phrase "authorities said."

rumymommy · **Joined:** Tue Aug 06, 2002 12:01 am **Posts:** 138

OK, makes sense for sure when the rest of the information is available. For instance,http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/3721652.html
In this case, that lead is just damn incompetent.

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I'll bet there's more to it than that

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