Ian Huntley

Hey guys really hoping you lot can help me!

For my Critical Research study for A2 Media Studies I am looking at how the media portray criminal trials. Im closely looking at Ian Huntley and his trial.

I know many people on here will rember the case and the trial. Do you think that he got a fair trial and do you think YOUR opinion was changed by the media coverage?

Please reply guys this would be most helpful!!

xxx

Reply 1

PlaystationStudies

8

Don't fall into the trap of going easy on Ian Huntley just because this is Critical Thinking, go easy on him for good reasons (if there are any, probably not). And is whether or not Ian Huntley got a fair trial anything to do with media coverage? Could be, but I hope the justice system is better than that.

Reply 2

Renal

17

PlaystationStudies

(if there are any, probably not).

And how did you see the portrayal of Huntly? :wink:

And is whether or not Ian Huntley got a fair trial anything to do with media coverage? Could be, but I hope the justice system is better than that.

I think, that's going to be hard to look at, the clue will probably be whether there's significant evidence or opinion in the court record that was ignored or marginalised by the media.

Reply 3

PlaystationStudies

8

Renal

And how did you see the portrayal of Huntly? :wink:

I only watched BBC News during this time, so I didn't see the paper's reaction. The rolling TV news didn't seem hysterical or anything like that. Personally I don't care if a newspaper gets hysterical over something like this. The man killed two innocent girls for no good reason, I expect people to get hysterical over it. No matter what the media says or how it affected the trial (if it did), there isn't much chance of Ian Huntley being sentenced to anything worse than he deserves.

Reply 4

lulu_dudette

OP

14

I'm not going soft on Huntley in fact I think he got what he deserved! However it was raised at his trial that he may not get a fair trial. I also want to know if your opinion would have been different had there not been so much media hype!

Reply 5

PlaystationStudies

8

lulu_dudette

I'm not going soft on Huntley in fact I think he got what he deserved! However it was raised at his trial that he may not get a fair trial. I also want to know if your opinion would have been different had there not been so much media hype!

If there was no media coverage whatsoever, and a man was tried in court for murdering two innocent girls, I don't think the sentence would be much different from that given to him if he were currently the focus of a media frenzy. But I don't know much about the legal system so...

Actually, if there was some bias in court, it would be due to the media's coverage of the girl's disappearance prior to Ian Huntley coming into the picture, rather than the media's portrayal of Ian Huntley. I just can't remember any kind of hysteria actually surrounding Ian Huntley. Maxine Carr yes but not Ian Huntley.

Reply 6

Renal

17

lulu_dudette

I also want to know if your opinion would have been different had there not been so much media hype!

How would you ever know unless you saw the evidence and then the hype.

The man killed two innocent girls for no good reason, I expect people to get hysterical over it.

I expect people (particularly those who work for us) to be objective and reasonable and most definitely not hysterical - no matter how much the media expects it.

In fact, it's suggested by the police that Huntley killed the girls in a rage state, something not widely reported in the media. He was subsequently assessed as fit to stand trial by a psychiatrist, but what happens if the psychiatrist was influenced by the media and 'public' opinion? What if he was hysterical? As you know, the guilty verdict was not unanimous, on either count, so there's certainly some doubt in at least one person's mind.

I'd suggest that a better case would be that of Venables and Thompson whose sentences for the murder of Jamie Bulger were extended by Michael Howard who was not a judge, certainly not a specialist in young offenders and who was clearly seen to be influenced by the media.

Reply 7

libertin

I think media coverage does greatly influence juries' verdict, but it isn't always for the worst for the defendants. An example would be OJ Simpson's trial, the opinion was so split down the middle and despite pretty hard and concrete evidence that OJ probably did murder his wife - media coverage suggesting that the police officers were racist (which of course probably did occur) probably influenced the jury to believe that an unfair investigation took place and thus acquitted him.

Reply 8

_jackofdiamonds

10

I didn't hear much about the trial in the media. I did by the paper the day the letters he wrote were printed though, where they called him a liar about 10 times, but then ended by saying "at least we know the TRUTH about Carr now" since the letter mentioned more of Carr's involvement.

Ian Huntley

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