Pubdate: Sun, 17 Feb 2002
Source: The Dominion Post (WV)
Copyright: 2002 The Dominion Post
Contact:  http://www.dominionpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1426
Author: Amy Quigley

NO SENSE ADDING TO A FAMILY'S PAIN

To the Editor:

In the aftermath of Jennifer Holman's tragic death, The Dominion Post was 
quick to print speculation that under-age drinking and drug abuse were 
involved. One example from the Jan. 29 paper: "...Jennifer Lee Holman, of 
Masontown, died after a night of bar-hopping with friends, allegedly 
drinking and smoking pot." The use of "allegedly" may protect the newspaper 
legally, but the tone of this sentence and its inclusion in a story about 
under-aged drinking served only to link this young woman's death with 
substance abuse in the public mind.

Autopsy results show that a cardiac arrhythmia killed Ms. Holman.

I have tremendous sympathy for the Holman family. When my 24-year-old 
brother, Michael Quigley, died in 1998, The Dominion Post immediately 
identified drugs as the possible cause in a headline, though the story 
below it indicated that police refused to comment on the investigation.

Months later, autopsy reports in his case revealed that he, too, died of a 
cardiac arrhythmia.

In light of the widespread publicity Ms. Holman's case has received, I hope 
The Dominion Post's editors will re-think their practice of printing mere 
speculation regarding unexplained deaths. This practice does nothing but 
add to the pain of families already enduring an agonizing loss.

Amy Quigley

Morgantown
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