![]() The Fearless Reporter: Susan Clary |
![]() The Peerless Researcher: John Martin |
[Note: all photos and text are reprinted here with the permission of the St. Petersburg Times.]
Editor and Publisher's February 27, 1998 article, "NEWS STAFFERS LOCATE MURDER SUSPECT: Editorial Teamwork Leads to Arrest" by David Noack documents the role electronic research plays in newspaper reporting today.
Copyright 1998 Times
Publishing Company February 19, 1998, Thursday, 2 Late Tampa Edition SECTION: TAMPA & STATE; Pg. 1B DISTRIBUTION: TAMPA & STATE; CITY & STATE; METRO & STATE LENGTH: 488 words HEADLINE: Crime reporter points police to suspect in woman's death BYLINE: SUSAN CLARY Police had accused a man of gunning down his girlfriend in Seminole Heights early Wednesday, and I went to the couple's neighborhood to look for people who knew them. Instead, I found the murder suspect himself. Crime reporters generally encounter murder suspects after they've been arrested and handcuffed, as police lead them to a patrol car. Rarely is a reporter able to tell police where they can find a wanted man. The strange series of events began with a mistaken photograph. I arrived at the crime scene Wednesday morning shortly after Bridgette Mokdad was shot to death in the middle of Giddens Avenue. Reporters and photographers waited behind yellow tape for an update from Tampa police. Homicide Sgt. Dan Grossi handed us jail photos of Jessie Bailey, the man witnesses said committed the murder, and gave us a description of his bright red pickup truck. On my cellular phone, I called Times researcher John Martin at our office and asked him to check records on Bailey using the birthdate on the photo. Neighbors who knew Bailey said the photograph wasn't him, raising confusion. It was almost noon when all the television stations planned to run an alert for an armed and dangerous man - Jessie Bailey - with the photograph in hand. A few minutes later, John called back. Using a computer data base, he had discovered something startling: The Jessie Bailey in the photograph was dead. A few minutes later, John called back. Using a computer data base, he had discovered something startling: The Jessie Bailey in the photograph was dead. The two men had the same name and similar birthdays. By mistake, police had pulled the wrong photo. I told Grossi, who immediately alerted other reporters to keep it off the air. After police and reporters had left the neighborhood, John tried a second time to ascertain where the right Jessie Bailey lived. He gave me an address a few blocks away at 1504 Shadowlawn Ave. I drove my car slowly down the street and pulled over when I saw the house. Before I could get out, Bailey's bright red pickup truck pulled into the driveway. He calmly walked inside his house. Police later said he had his shotgun. Hardly expecting to find him there, I fumbled with my cell phone and called a police office looking for Grossi. He wasn't there. Bailey walked outside to his truck a second time and grabbed some lumber on the lawn. On my phone, I paged Grossi with a police signal 10-18, which means to respond quickly. He returned my call, and I told him Bailey was home. A neighbor also called police about the same time. Moments later, Detective Jerry Clark, who had been looking for Bailey, pulled into a driveway in front of me and motioned for me to pull my car forward. Several marked patrol cars burst on the scene, and I rolled down my window to tell them Bailey was inside. Police arrested him moments later and charged him with first-degree murder. The next time I saw Bailey, he was handcuffed, and police were leading him to a patrol car. GRAPHIC: COLOR PHOTO; BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO; Susan Clary |
February 19, 1998 Email message from John Martin to NewsLib list:
|
February 18, 1998 Email message from Kitty Bennett to NewsLib list:
|
This page was created by Barbara P. Semonche. It was last updated March 1998. If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to contact Barbara