Pubdate: Thu, 08 Mar 2007
Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU)
Copyright: 2007 The Gazette, a division of Southam Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274
Author: Sidhartha Banerjee, The Gazette

BLOODY TV IMAGES OUTRAGE POLICE

Spot Where Tessier Died Shown In Report

A group representing most police officers in Quebec is denouncing the
decision by some media outlets to broadcast the blood-stained interior
of the Brossard home where Constable Daniel Tessier was killed Friday.

"The police community is in mourning and we haven't even buried our
fallen colleague yet, and we see that on television? It doesn't make
any sense," said Sherbrooke police officer Paulin Aube, vice-president
of the Federation of Municipal Police Officers, an umbrella group that
includes most of Quebec's police brotherhoods, including Laval's.

The reports show the inside of the home owned by Basile Parasiris and
the bullet-riddled upstairs where the exchange of gunfire occurred.
Journalists used the visuals in an attempt to reconstruct the events
as related by members of the Parasiris family.

The Surete du Quebec made clear yesterday the details are not coming
from them.

Parasiris, 41, faces a charge of first-degree murder, as well as
charges of attempted murder, discharging a firearm with intent to
wound, and discharging a firearm with intent to endanger a life. His
lawyer has argued the shooting was self-defence.

The police federation took issue with what it called one-sided
reporting.

"This is a dossier before the courts and it will be up to them to
determine the facts," Aube said. "What (certain media) are doing is
passing their version off as the truth without looking at the other
side."

No one appears in the footage.

The federation said it is also shocked by the footage of the bloodied
walls. No one in Quebec would have wanted to see that if it was their
family member who was killed, Aube said.

"It's the blood of a police officer who was just doing his job and
died on the scene."

Aube said the federation wants the visuals removed.

But a media consultant who is also a lecturer in media ethics and the
law had no problems with the footage being shown.

"It may not be tasteful to do this two days before the funeral, but
they are not prejudicing the trial in any way," said Alan Conter, who
teaches at Concordia University's journalism department.

"I don't find it highly unethical to (show) it. It's certainly a crime
scene in the public interest and it could conceivably play both ways
in public response," Conter added. "It could reinforce the public's
revulsion with crimes that involve weapons."
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MAP posted-by: Derek