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A Killing That Gets Little Mention

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 08:38:17 AM EST
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Why is Laci Peterson more important than Lisa Eatmon? Both were 8 months pregnant when they were killed and dumped in the water. In both cases, their husbands were charged amid claims by authorities they were running for the border. But I bet you've never even heard of Lisa Eatmon, let alone seen her face every night on the cable news shows.

A Brooklyn man charged with killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend and dumping her body in the Hudson River pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder yesterday. The suspect, Roscoe Glinton II, , 42, entered his plea in State Supreme Court in the death of the woman, Lisa D. Eatmon, 33, whose body was found off a Chelsea pier on April 3. She was eight months pregnant with Mr. Glinton's child, and had been shot in the head, the police said.

Mr. Glinton, a sanitation worker, was arrested on Friday after a grand jury returned an indictment against him. Two weeks earlier, the prosecutor contended, he had planned to flee to the Bahamas with $20,000, but was arrested after driving away from officers at speeds up to 100 miles per hour on the Belt Park.

Even the husband's defenses are similar:

[Glinton's]lawyer, Steven B. Kirschner, argued that his client had known he was under investigation for more than three weeks, but did not flee.

So what's the deal?

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    • A Killing That Gets Little Mention | 26 comments (26 topical)
    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 08:51:30 AM EST
    Well, beyond the fact that many pregnant women are killed each year with no fanfare at all, the answer is all there in black and white.

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#2)
    by kdog on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 09:02:06 AM EST
    This all happened around the corner from me and I never heard of it. Then again, I don't consider such stories newsworthy, and could have easily skipped past it in the papers. Spouses murder each other all the time. How many pregnant women killed in Iraq I wonder?

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 09:08:21 AM EST
    Uh, let Blaghdaddy add his two cents to the black and white...how did he know before he Googled the name that, should a picture come up, poor Lisa wouldn't be a)white b)photo-genic (translation- white) (c)White, or (d) Lily-White? Blaghdaddy just wonders why, since it's no secret that the American media only covers the suffering of white Americans and whites in European-based countries (again, white), how it's a SURPRISE to anyone?

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 09:35:33 AM EST
    I do recall that Scott Peterson called the national news media's attention during press conferances during the search for his wife, this was prior to the public's knowledge that he was the perp. Did Roscoe Glinton also call press and organize search parties? I think that this may be the reason for the national media's huge interest in the case. The Peterson case is similar to the Susan Smith case where a national media call for help finding her kids happened. Other cases very similar to Smith's haven't reached the news heights since. Just a thought :)

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 10:04:12 AM EST
    Well, for one thing one was black and the other wife was from a powerful hispanic family, who wanted blood. if the guy did it or didn't do it, it makes no never mind, because its not about proof/evidence, its now about getting back at someone, and for the show of our non justice system. both woman were murdered and that is sad, but do you want the right person in prison for the real murder, i don't think so.

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 10:52:55 AM EST
    It seems as though both were charged with murder. Should this defendant not have been charged if it were determined he was black?

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#7)
    by desertswine on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 10:57:16 AM EST
    Wha?

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#8)
    by scarshapedstar on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 11:18:20 AM EST
    Blaghdaddy, somehow I, too, had a mysterious premonition that Lisa's skin might be a few tones darker than Laci's.

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#9)
    by Rori on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 11:22:05 AM EST
    That is completely clear to me. And it sucks.

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 11:22:19 AM EST
    There is a certain irony to complaining about the lack of publicity attendant to the murder of a black woman based on reading a newspaper story about the murder of that black woman.

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#11)
    by kdog on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 11:25:45 AM EST
    After re-scanning today's Post, there is a small article on page 18 or so. Still waiting on Fox News, CNN, and the like to begin their 24 hr., over-saturated, wall to wall coverage.

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 11:50:45 AM EST
    If I remember correctly, Laci Peterson dissappeared on Christmas Eve, and was a big holiday, missing person story that went on for days before her body was found. You can thank CNN and Fox for that.

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 11:51:01 AM EST
    Ed, there's a difference between a media article about a black woman and wall-to-wall hysteria about a missing white girl. Hey, have any other children in America disappeared besides the knot of cute little white girls in the South? Thank God not, or Blaghdaddy surely would have seen hours of it on FoxSpews and CNN. Today, FoxSpews actually covered the disappearance of a Hispanic-named girl near where Jessica was murdered...Blaghdaddy figures FoxSpews had a Lunsford hangover and the cameras and trucks were already there, so... And WHO THE HELL is trying to derail the topic by talking about the guilt or innocence of a black suspect? Isn't the topic "media coverage of non-cute-white-wealty-white victims of crime?"

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 12:57:36 PM EST
    Blaghdaddy is right on point...And unfortunately, it just points back to the painful truth. In America, regardless of who's in charge, white lives are always valued more highly than black lives. There are exceptions, of course, but that's the general rule.

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#15)
    by jondee on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 01:27:15 PM EST
    Makes it easier to "shock n' awe" and commandeer the resources of the swarthy ones when the time comes.

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#16)
    by cp on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 01:57:39 PM EST
    i apologize in advance, for going slightly off topic, but a point must be made. we still have no clue how laci peterson met her end, to say she was murdered is pure speculation, since the medical examiner was unable to provide any information regarding the actual cause of death. i now return to our regularly scheduled issue. ok, clearly someone needs to get the message out: start murdering cute little black or hispanic girls and women, then call a press conference regarding their disappearance. it's the only way to ensure the kind of wall-to-wall, 24/7 coverage, by the media, that we americans have every right to expect.

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#17)
    by cp on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 01:59:23 PM EST
    blaghdaddy, do you always post in the third person? just curious.

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#18)
    by Richard Aubrey on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 04:21:04 PM EST
    The 24-7 trial-du-jour hole WILL be filled. But it can only take one trial at a time. You will note that the defining issue of the choice is celebrity, whether existing, such as OJ and the current humanoid, or manufactured BY THE PERP as in Laci Peterson's case. There are, blaghdaddy will be eager to admit, even white people getting murdered who don't get much ink. What's wrong with that picture? The key is to come in just as the last one is being milked dry. The case in New York suffers from timing issues.

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Apr 26, 2005 at 09:35:02 PM EST
    Obviously, the only answer that a right-thinking person could ever come up with is white racism. See, without white racism we'd know all about this case. Now, don't pay any attention to those who say that the Hispanic Rocha family probably hired a publicist or at least probably had an attorney issue public statements and probably fired off press release after press release. That doesn't matter! First of all, Laci Peterson looked white. Second, white racism is at the root of everything and we must see it everywhere as the cause of all social ills. People are never responsible for problems or failings themselves, it's always white racism to blame. Now, let's all get out our hats and prepare for the Two Minute Hate.

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#20)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Wed Apr 27, 2005 at 12:46:47 AM EST
    Wacko, take a breath before your next diatribe. The subject here has to do with the amount of press coverage a murder case gets not "all social ills". There seems to be a good deal of evidence that murderers/victims who are white/photogenic/have money or some combo thereof, will get the People Magazine cover and wall to wall TV News coverage. Otherwise they are relegated to page 18 of the Post. Try and refute this!

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#21)
    by Bob on Wed Apr 27, 2005 at 06:21:49 AM EST
    I'm surprised that the media fixated on Lacey at all - she didn't have blonde hair or blue eyes. But she was a Christian, and that's what really matters, right? You're not gonna see any stories on missing Muslims, Atheists, or Jews (unless they were having an affair with a Democratic congressman.)

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#22)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 27, 2005 at 08:45:09 AM EST
    There is another murdered pregnant woman even closer than New York. Slightly before ( I think) the Peterson case, a 9 month pregnant Latina and her six year old son disappeared from San Francisco. Several months later, her body was found in the Bay (sound familiar), her son has never been found. Police suspected the boyfriend, but have not made an arrest. There was next to no coverage even in the SF press. I only heard about it from a Sunday morning radio program (hosted by a Black man) that I listen to. He angrily compared this case to the Peterson case, trying to drum up some information - but failed. He also shamed the Carrington Sund Foundation into providing reward money (which they had initially declined to do) - but I don't think there have been any results.

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 27, 2005 at 04:53:10 PM EST
    Sad to say, but the only case I remember where the death of a pregnant black woman warranted extensive coverage was the Sharica Adams case several years ago here in Charlotte. And that was only because her boyfriend/murderer, Rae Carruth, was a wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers. Had it been someone else who did it, it would never had made a ripple in the news. There was enough evidence there to convict Carruth and his cronies, and Adams lived long enough to point her finger at him.

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#24)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 27, 2005 at 08:07:27 PM EST
    After reading the other comments, and reflecting a good bit, I'd now like to retract everything I said. I believe that media attention should be given to each according to their needs and from media sources according to their abilities. Forward to the liberal revolution!

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#25)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Apr 27, 2005 at 11:13:21 PM EST
    Michelle Malkin offers an insightful explanation as to the series of events that conspired to make the Peterson murder into the media frenzy it turned out to be. And TL gets a shoutout, too! :-)

    Re: A Killing That Gets Little Mention (none / 0) (#26)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:53:07 PM EST
    As a co-worker of Lisa, I can tell you that I didn't know Peterson, and I don't care about publicity, what matters is that Lisa is remembered for the beautiful person she was. A smile that touched everyone she met...our customers who sent donations for her 12 year old daughters educational fund...the employees of our company who were on a chartered bus by our President to take them to Lisa's funeral ... to say goodbye to our friend. Lisa's family who is wonderful, warm, and so loving. Lisa will always be remembered by her friends, family, customers of ours, and us... That is all that matters, and the person who was responsible for the death of Lisa and her baby boy Jay-Den...he will have to answer for this horrific crime...just as the person who killed Peterson will... Let's think of her young daughter, remember what a warm person she was...if you had seen the smile of that beautiful 12 year old girl of Lisa's, or seen the tears...you would have know how wonderful Lisa really was.... Rest In Peace Our Friend and Co-Worker With Love, Your Candle Family

    A Killing That Gets Little Mention | 26 comments (26 topical)