Coverage should stick to facts

I am and always have been very disappointed in your newspaper's coverage of the Joshua Kezer case. Now your newspaper seems to blame the fact that Kezer was found guilty by a jury of his peers on the Scott County Sheriff's Department, prosecuting attorney's office and special prosecutor Kenny Hulshof.

I understand that Judge Richard Callahan is the one who made the final decision on whether or not there was sufficient evidence to keep Kezer in prison, but your newspaper seems to take extreme delight in the fact that cause was not found and that Kezer will be released from prison. It has, again, always seemed that your newspaper has been in great favor of Rick Walter and every little thing he has done while sheriff of Scott County. It would seem that your newspaper would report all on all counties and not focus on just the wrongdoings in Scott County and what a great job Walter seems to do.

But back to the coverage of the Kezer case. Your paper has sensationalized the fact that Kezer has been found to be innocent of the crimes he was accused of.

I wish that everyone, including your newspaper, would realize that the people responsible for Kezer going to prison were the 12 people who sat on the jury -- and found him guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt, of murder in the second degree and armed criminal action -- and the sentencing judge. It had nothing to do with the way the case was investigated or prosecuted.

If there was such wrongdoing of the investigation or the prosecution of the case, it seems that at least one person on the jury would not have found him guilty. But in fact, all 12 found him guilty.

And the judge is the one who sentenced him to prison. I believe your newspaper should report the facts and not opinions from the current sheriff. If truth be known, the original responding officers on the night of the crime, which includes Walter, did not handle the situation properly. Who knows how much critical information was lost or tampered with? I'm sure it doesn't concern you in the least, but you have just lost a longstanding customer.

GINA ESSNER, Benton, Mo.