Why Use News Photos of Motorcylist Run Down by Careless Driver?
To the Editor:
I have to say I am nothing short of appalled by your representation of Thursday night's motorcycle accident
in your April 18 issue.
I suppose I could go on and on about how inappropriate many of those pictures are, starting with the front
page.  Is it really necessary to show two people jaw-jacking in front of an obviously fatal accident?
Consider the fact that the one gentleman is wearing a Calvert Hockey jacket-he obviously doesn't belong
anywhere near the scene, and certainly the police had further investigations to conduct involving the crime
scene...but yet you advertise this man's presence to the public?
But the front page is no match to how I felt when I actually opened the paper to read the article.  How
can you possibly, in good conscience, show a picture of his dead covered body lying on the ground?  I find
that so morbidly disgusting that I'm short for words to even describe it. 
And I'll admit, I hadn't known Mark for very long.  But
one thing that I can say, just from having known him for a few short months, is that he was one of the most
caring, hardworking, sincere people that I had ever met in my life.  That sort of person can't be
replaced.
He was honest and worked hard for the things that he had-including his truck and his motorcycle, which he
had done all the work to HIMSELF (with a little help from some of his friends).  I can't describe how it
feels to see images of that same motorcycle, which I saw so vibrantly glistening and sparkling in his
driveway the day before, turned over on its side and his covered body laying just a few short feet away.  I
can't tell you how that feels.  I can't tell you how his family feels.  I can't tell you what it's like to
watch his friends flip through photo albums of him and laugh as they recall all the good times they had with
him. 
I suppose the only thing I really can do is to ask you and your staff to please remember, when faced with
representing such tragic stories, that the person in that article is more than just a "victim".  He was so
much more than just "Motorcyclist Killed by Careless Driver".  That story is about someone's son, someone's
best friend, someone's brother. I know that you all must see that sort of thing on such a regular basis,
that it's easy to forget that those images and words can have lasting effects on the readers.  I suppose I
should just leave you with this.If that had been your best friend or your brother or your son or someone
close to you, would you have really wanted to see pictures of such a graphic nature?
Catherine Wheatley
Mechanicsville
(Editor's Note: Every word of your letter makes the case for why the news story was written and why the news photos were used, to attempt to convince people that this tragic loss of life did not have to happen, that such losses take place far
too often, in fact, did so 17 times last year in St. Mary's County, and it's about time that people slowed down, paid attention to their driving and stopped the killing.
As for the "jaw jacking" by bystanders who were within a short distance from the victim, the photo simply showed what they were doing. The action belonged to the men, not to the photo. Draw from their actions what you will. But to blame the publication of the photo for their actions is absurd. It is of far more consquence in the future for the citizens of St. Mary's
County, that you and others look carefully at these tragic news photos and take a lesson from them, in hopes that others might live.  Each person on our roads needs to see these photos and slow down, yield the right of way,
stop the reckless and careless driving and be sure to drive safe and sober.
Within 4 miles in each direction of this crash, at least a dozen other persons have died in the last ten years. News photos are graphic in what they depict for a reason: this is the news of St. Mary's County. People are  dying on our roads at an alarming rate and the people around you are doing the killing.
In regards to the headline of the story: Read it again.  It was a simple statement of fact: To make a sudden U-turn in the path of a motorcycle is not an "accident" but is either a deliberate or careless act. Either way, it cost the life of the young man. Photos of crash scenes are used to attempt to get motorists to drive more carefully and since the body was covered, there was nothing morbid about it.  Save your outrage for an appropriate target: careless drivers who kill.)