last link on the left › deadmonton

Michael White pointed out that just hours before Liana's body was found, police told his search team to check out the ditches along 142nd Street and Poundmaker Road (one road runs into the other).

The media constantly – myself included, for a while – reported that Michael White had "led" searchers to the body.

Hearing and reading that mis-leading information over and over, it wouldn't be unreasonable for people to assume that if Michael White led searchers to his wife's body, he must have put her there.

Liana's body was discovered on a Sunday afternoon.

That morning, Constable Paul Wright, the EPS Search Coordinator, directed the White search team to search where Liana would be found.

Until that chat with Constable Wright, the White search team was on its way to check out 96th and 97th Streets.

In the minds of many, Michael White finding the body of his wife was straight out of Spouse Killing for Dummies.

Michael White and I often talked about the news media. He usually brought the subject up but I did most of the talking.

White didn't know much about how the news media operated and he had no idea of how ungoverned the news gathering business actually is.

White wanted to know why an important element to his case wasn't being reported. He was referring to his family finding Liana's body after EPS had steered them to Poundmaker Road.

I told him the news media had bought into a police theory and then turned that theory into a fact.

In turn, that is why most people believe Michael White "led searchers" to Liana's body.

White sometimes questioned me about "rules" for the news media. What he meant were standards and code of ethics.

White wanted to know if it was "legal" for reporters to put out wrong information when they knew otherwise.

I explained to White that journalism is essentially an integrity-based business.

Class is an option. But so is sleaze.

To some degree, I explained, it is governed by a code of ethics.

The problem is ... there's little done to enforce those codes.

White was surprised to hear that some reporters actually raise money for the police while other journalists – some married to police officers – report on criminal justice stories.

"Holy crap", he said. "Where are their bosses?"

I said, "Their bosses, including the religious fakes, have their fingers so far up their asses their elbows are black."

Without realising what he'd said, White again remarked, "Holy crap."

I also revealed to White how widespread plagiarism was in the electronic news business.

He asked, "What's that (plagiarism)?"

I explained plagiarism is stealing ... not unlike, say, stealing vehicles or tools.

I went further. I said, "Guess where these plagiarists go on Sunday morning?"

"Where?" he asked.

"To church ... where they kiss Jesus' ass."

White – who detected I wasn't terribly religious – said, "Man, that's disgusting."

I said, "I'm glad you see it that way, because it is disgusting."

I summed things up for Michael White by saying the news media was essentially weak.

White and his family would soon find that out for themselves.

<< previous chapter | main page | next chapter >>

Enquiries regarding material contained herein should be directed through the contact us link at the bottom of this page.
This material is protected by copyright. Further use of the material requires permission, in advance, before publication or broadcast. Linking on the internet directly to this page is permitted provided such practice adheres to conditions as outlined on the about this site page.

deadmonton - michael white - the untold story - 10