3-19-09: Student returns hundreds of newspapers after taking them Tuesday
By: Andrew Bruner
Issue date: 3/17/09 Section: Editor's blog
Hundreds of copies of the Tuesday edition of The DePauw are back out for distribution to the public after they were taken by freshman Patrick John Kelly Tuesday afternoon.
I contacted Kelly and met with him Wednesday afternoon after hearing from a University employee that Kelly had come to the employee's office and asked if he could have all the copies of the newspaper there. According to this employee, Kelly gave his name and his reason for taking the newspapers: He was listed in The DePauw's crime blotter for having been arrested Saturday, March 14 for resisting law enforcement, public intoxication and minor in consumption.
When I met with Kelly Wednesday, he admitted to taking papers and gave the same reason for doing so. He said he was embarrassed by his arrest and its publication in The Banner Graphic. When he saw that his arrest was also published in The DePauw, he wanted to keep other people from seeing it, so he took all the copies from the Union Building mailroom - which receives more copies than any other campus location - and the distribution box in the Center for Contemporary Media outside The DePauw's newsroom.
Kelly said he did not "steal" copies from any other locations, but admits he took all of the remaining copies at other locations that only had "two or three" left.
Kelly was very apologetic after I explained that I believe his actions amount to media censorship by depriving the public of access to the newspaper, and are also possibly criminal theft, according to the Student Press Law Center, a legal assistance corporation for high school and college journalists.
After our discussion, Kelly found the newspapers that he had taken from various locations and placed those that were still in good condition back in the UB mailroom and CCM. The staff of The DePauw is currently discussing how to respond to this incident in the next issue of the newspaper, though members of the editorial board have unanimously decided against taking legal action against Kelly.
As editor of The DePauw, I'm relieved that the newspapers are back out to the public, am thankful to the members of the DePauw community who helped identify Kelly, and am also pleased with Kelly's cooperation in returning the newspapers.
The DePauw's free distribution relies on the personal responsibility of members of the public not to prevent others from having access to the newspaper. That this incident took place at all is a shame, but on the bright side, I am pleased that this is the only time in my four years at DePauw that someone has so purposefully sought to disrupt The DePauw's distribution. For at least the past 150 editions or so, offering The DePauw for free to the public has not been a problem, and I don't think the situation is changed by the incident this week.
I contacted Kelly and met with him Wednesday afternoon after hearing from a University employee that Kelly had come to the employee's office and asked if he could have all the copies of the newspaper there. According to this employee, Kelly gave his name and his reason for taking the newspapers: He was listed in The DePauw's crime blotter for having been arrested Saturday, March 14 for resisting law enforcement, public intoxication and minor in consumption.
When I met with Kelly Wednesday, he admitted to taking papers and gave the same reason for doing so. He said he was embarrassed by his arrest and its publication in The Banner Graphic. When he saw that his arrest was also published in The DePauw, he wanted to keep other people from seeing it, so he took all the copies from the Union Building mailroom - which receives more copies than any other campus location - and the distribution box in the Center for Contemporary Media outside The DePauw's newsroom.
Kelly said he did not "steal" copies from any other locations, but admits he took all of the remaining copies at other locations that only had "two or three" left.
Kelly was very apologetic after I explained that I believe his actions amount to media censorship by depriving the public of access to the newspaper, and are also possibly criminal theft, according to the Student Press Law Center, a legal assistance corporation for high school and college journalists.
After our discussion, Kelly found the newspapers that he had taken from various locations and placed those that were still in good condition back in the UB mailroom and CCM. The staff of The DePauw is currently discussing how to respond to this incident in the next issue of the newspaper, though members of the editorial board have unanimously decided against taking legal action against Kelly.
As editor of The DePauw, I'm relieved that the newspapers are back out to the public, am thankful to the members of the DePauw community who helped identify Kelly, and am also pleased with Kelly's cooperation in returning the newspapers.
The DePauw's free distribution relies on the personal responsibility of members of the public not to prevent others from having access to the newspaper. That this incident took place at all is a shame, but on the bright side, I am pleased that this is the only time in my four years at DePauw that someone has so purposefully sought to disrupt The DePauw's distribution. For at least the past 150 editions or so, offering The DePauw for free to the public has not been a problem, and I don't think the situation is changed by the incident this week.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Julie
posted 4/04/09 @ 1:52 PM EST
This is an unfortunate incident, but it shouldn't change the fact that names are published in The DePauw if a person commits a crime and is over 18. They may not like it, but that doesn't change anything--not everyone likes what they read or that they've done illegal things and other people have a right to know about it. (Continued…)
Roger
posted 4/09/09 @ 9:32 AM EST
So Why do "other people have a right to know about it"? Seriously what do I gain or the student body gain in having a name for a crime committed on campus? Is it so when we can outcast this person and publicly humiliate them for the betterment of ourselves. (Continued…)
Roger Jr.
posted 4/09/09 @ 5:51 PM EST
You think The DePauw should write more relevant articles pertaining to national and world issues? Hmmm. Why exactly? That's not really the point of a college newspaper. (Continued…)
Roger III
posted 4/10/09 @ 11:01 AM EST
Thank you for perpetuating the DePauw bubble by saying we should only focus on ourselves and nothing else. Your right a college newspaper should cover the "goings on" (Good use of English here, you must write for the DePauw) of the school. (Continued…)
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