TheAgitator.com
What Has Four Eyes But Still Can’t See?
Friday, August 8th, 2008For those of you still wondering how Dr. Hayne was able to get away with what he did for more than 20 years in Mississippi, you needn’t look any further than yesterday’s editorial in Jackson’s Clarion-Ledger. After acknowledging that the state needs a better funded medical examiner’s office and crime lab, the editors then write….
Focusing on Hayne does take the spotlight away from the state’s responsibility for leaving the post unfilled, for not reforming an antiquated statewide coroner system and not providing a state-of-the-art state Crime Lab to aid in death investigations.
Without a state medical examiner, the coroners have to contract with private pathologists. In most cases, Hayne has been chosen. So, if there is blame is to be handed out, who’s to blame for that? Certainly not Hayne for filling the gap. He has performed as he has been asked to do, with a truly astonishing output.
Is it any wonder why this paper never conducted a serious investigation of Hayne? Even in the face of overwhelming evidence of the guy’s incompetence, now, the paper’s editorial board still can’t seem to muster a critical word for him.
Let’s review. The Clarion-Ledger’s editors need only check their own archives to learn that Hayne didn’t reluctantly stumble into doing 1,500 autopsies per year for 20 years as a favor to the state of Mississippi. This was all by design. He monopolized the county autopsy referrals by telling coroners and district attorney what they wanted to hear. The state medical examiner position has been vacant for 14 years in part because the legislature has failed to adequately fund it (because all of the people in power are happy with Hayne), but also in part because no aspiring doctor in his right mind would want the job. The last two people to hold the office were appalled by what they saw, attempted to reform the system, and were promptly run out on a rail after revolts from Hayne and his pals the corners and prosecutors. The Clarion-Ledger’s editors ought to give Dr. Emily Ward a call some time. Ask her about her experience as Mississippi’s last official state medical examiner 13 years ago.
Mississippi’s institutions (including the Clarion-Ledger) share responsibility for the rise and reign of Hayne and Dr. Michael West. They didn’t do their jobs, and allowed this to happen. Neither the state’s courts, it’s press, it’s elected officials, its professional organization, nor its government agencies did a damned thing to rein Hayne in. On the contrary. They all helped him flourish.
Most of the institutions in Mississippi at least seem to have finally realized that the state can’t keep letting Hayne do autopsies, much as they’d like to attribute all of this to meddling outside agitators. Unfortunately, now that they’ve fired him, they’ve gone right back to placating him. Which is too bad. Because there are likely hundreds and perhaps thousands of cases tainted by Hayne’s and West’s testimony that need to be reviewed. Understating the harm Hayne has done to the state’s criminal justice system–or attempting to mitigate it by making excuses for him–gives state officials cover to avoid an extensive investigation.
But all it’s really doing is drawing out the process, and prolonging the pain. Sooner or later, Mississippi will have to face this problem head on.
I think that the Clarion-Ledger is just reacting like a spoiled child because they aren’t able to take credit for breaking the story. As representatives of the mainstream media (ie: the real professionals), they probably think a story from a non mainstream source can’t be a real story. The only thing worse would be if the coverage came from out of state. Wait…
I can appreciate the sentiment that there’s enough blame to go around, and it almost sounds as though they’re saying, “well what person in his right mind would turn down all that business?!?”
Because really, the man’s an asshole, but it’s not entirely his fault that he’s had a monopoly. As you note, there are plenty of people to blame.
Still, the C-L could stand to use a bit stronger language. It sounds to me as though, in their misguided attempt to sound impartial, they’re looking at it all through rose-colored glasses.
No, I think the Clarion-Ledger is acting like they know they screwed up for the last decade, and don’t want to admit they dropped the ball. So if they point to enough empty chairs, they think they can deflect criticisms about their blind spot regarding the ‘justice’ system in Mississippi.
Let’s also not forget the way that the Pilot treated the Ryan Frederick shooting in the beginning; it was very one-sided and firmly against Frederick. While they did later jump in with more balance, that’s largely just because they wrote their first pieces in such a way that one could be easily forgiven for perceiving them as trying to whip up public hatred toward Frederick.
Overall, the mainstream media is worthless. Without journalists like you, there would largely be nothing like your work on Hayne and Frederick being done short of there being a juicy race angle for the media to play. The mainstream media is enemy number one when it comes to holding the government accountable because it epitomizes a slavish devotion to the status quo, not rocking the boat, etc.
He has performed as he has been asked to do, with a truly astonishing output.
“Astonishing”… and not in a good way.
That could be like saying someone’s new haircut is “interesting” or “unusual”.
“….with a truly astonishing output.” Good Stakhanov – socialist thinking there, which is to focus on gross inputs and outputs. It doesn’t make any difference to them that his “truly astonishing output” was all crap.
It ain’t over ’til the FAT LADY SINGS!
The Clarion Ledger as well as other news media could take a few lessons from BALKO and follow his lead since apparently they are in dire need of guidance.
Show ‘em how to MAN UP, Radley! Show ‘em was REAL assertive and truthful reporting is!
We could sit here ALL day and POINT FINGERS of blame. Bottom line is the STATE KNEW about these allegations long before Hayne was ever fired.
Years of ‘dust bunnies’ have gathered under the bed and RADLEY tipped the mattress (Hayne).
Time for MISSISSIPPI to get out the HOOVER and suck it up! They’ed better have plenty of EXTRA bags since it will fill up rather quickly. And God knows there is nothing much worse than have a bag of DIRT blow up in your face! UGH!
The state can say that the firing of Hayne was not from any wrong-doing until the cows come home…it doesn’t make it true!
I find it rather amusing in fact.
I’d bet the FARM, COWS INCLUDED that Hayne would STILL be flitting around his room of death had it NOT been for RADLEY exposing this klutz forcing the state’s hand.
And they want us to THINK it was done because they had a JOB OPENING…LOL…Oh please, don’t question my intelligence guys. That ‘job’ has been OPENED for over 20 freaking years, Forrest Gump.
They are making a last ditch attempt at avoiding what they KNOW has to happen now! RE-OPEN and RE-EXAM ALL CASES Hayne’s greedy hands were in. This certainly casts REASONABLE DOUBT in nearly every case he tesitfied in.
Meanwhile, I am still fighing for guys like Devin Benett, Jeff Havard, both on death row due to Hayne’s corrupt and incompetent LIES. Still there are others like Brett Jones, only 15 years old when sentenced to LIFE when clearly it was self-defense. Another one of Hayne’s victims *(this was a no-brainer and obvious self-defense). But Hayne, like the spoiled lap dog he is, gave the prosecutors a lick on the cheek and said whatever they wanted him to say. Guess a head pat and a belly rub goes a long way!
One comforting thing I find is that I no longer have to worry when I travel though Mississippi my autopsy will NOT be performed by The Little Rascal, Porky (Hayne), should I meet my untimely demise.
There is a GOD!
So Mississippi, now is the time you need to prove you have had some ‘school-housin’ and common sense. Re-open these CASES NOW, stop shuffling your feet and sheepishly looking at the ground like some love-sick school boy.
Or do I need to some down there and take all of you to the proverbial wood-shed?
It’s your choice!
Expect me when your not expecting me! I am coming!
Let’s not forget to give credit where it’s due!
The INNOCENCE PROJECT of MISSISSIPPI labored relentlessly to have HAYNE successfully ousted! A million KUDOS to them.
Saying THANK YOU is not enough. I encourage everyone, as Radley has to DONATE your dollars to this NOBLE insitution and cause.
I plan to visit them on my trip this fall and thank them personally.
Radley, you ARE still the MAN and I still want to marry you when I GROW UP! ;)
I am so thankful for Radley and MS IP Project too. Although Hayne’s did not “botch” an autopsy that caused my love one a wrongful conviction in MS. He DID write a memo that stated the death needed to be changed to homicide and HIS words are exactly what the cornor’s used to “crucify” my love one 17 years AFTER a child’s death. NO EVIDENCE!!! Convicted on Speculation, Conjecture and Theory ( OPINION) ONLY!! MS did not have a coronor this many years ago ( 23 years ago). He ( in my opinion) had a large part in this case just by his “memo” and we are praying that the MS IP will be able to hep her. They are really loaded down with Hayne’s cases. I have heard some tales that will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck that Hayne’s was allowed to do at trials. I mean UNREAL the things the Judges allowed him to “demostrate” and etc. So he did more than autopsies. He was allowed to do illustrations at some trials of ow HE said things happened, resulting in many wrongful convictions.
THANK YOU MR. BALKO and MS IP!!! Now to see what we hope are TRUE wheels of justice and these cases be allowed to be reopened. Mississippi should hand their heads in shame for allowing this for so many years. Without Radley and MS IP we would be NO WHERE!! The Clarion Ledger wants the “scoop” but not from the wrongfully convicted. I know because we tried.
I also thank Mississippi Justice because they were the first ones who allowed FREE web pages to tell the truth on our families cases. THANK YOU DOUG TODD!!!! http://www.mississippi-justice.com