MU seminar features Dan Knight, Steve Weinberg and watchdogs

Forces on both sides of the press badge ask journalist to dig deeper.

By Travis Cornejo

Published Sept. 18, 2009

The MU Center for the Study of Conflict, Law and the Media hosted Dan Knight and Steve Weinberg's seminar, entitled "News Coverage of Criminal Trials and Journalists' Watchdog Role," on Thursday.

Columbia native Knight has been the Boone County Prosecuting Attorney since January 2007. In his 17-year career as a prosecutor, Knight has tried thousands of criminal cases.

"This is like a town hall forum," Knight said as he began. "I feel like a presidential candidate."

Knight said when he first began his career, he believed prosecutors were people who just wanted pad their statistics and throw people in the slammer.

"I realized that the opposite was true," Knight said.

He went on to list the positive and negative effects the media can have on a trial. Although the media can disseminate information and assist law enforcement officers with arrests, they can also create a prejudiced jury pool, Knight said.

Weinberg, a Missouri School of Journalism graduate, is the former executive director of Investigative Reporters and Editors. He began his portion of the seminar by encouraging the people in the room to think very seriously about what Knight said.

Weinberg said journalists could be doing a much better job than they are doing. Even if the cases that go to trial are covered, that neglects the 85 to 95 percent of cases that do not end up in trial.

"They're barely scratching the surface," Weinberg said.

Most of the journalism students at the seminar probably can't name someone who works in Knight's office, Weinberg said.

He said maybe by being great watchdogs, journalists could help Knight with his job.

Weinberg founded The Innocence Project, which investigates possible cases of wrongful conviction.

"Some inmates are innocent," he said. "We know that now."

He said finality is very hard to overcome due to roadblocks toward getting back into court. It can take up to a decade to prove someone innocent.

Associate professor Michael Grinfeld said the media's coverage of criminal trials today varies widely.

"I read some really wonderful coverage and I read coverage that could actually bring tears to your eyes," Grinfeld said.

Grinfeld said the role of journalists is to fulfill the rationale behind why journalism is the only constitutionally protected career in the US. He hopes students take away from the seminar, a more realistic view of how important legal affair reporting is.

Graduate student Stephanie Mathieu said it was interesting to hear the critique that reporters don't cover enough court activity.

"I used to cover courts at my old reporting job," Mathieu said. "I think that I could have done a better job."

Mathieu said it was good to hear Knight's perspective. Journalists might sometimes not always consider the entire viewpoint of their sources.