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Death of a Watchdog

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

My crime column this week looks at the life and death of Pennsylvania crime reporter Pete Shellem, whose reporting helped free four innocent people from prison. He died last week at age 49.

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This entry was posted on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 5:39 pm by Radley Balko and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

9 Responses to “Death of a Watchdog”

  1. #1 |  Dave Krueger |  November 2nd, 2009 at 6:03 pm

    One of the problems with growing older is that you tend to be hypersensitive to every death you hear of where the person is young in comparison to today’s life expectancy. Not only do you notice those tragedies, but you also remember them making it seem like every death you hear of is of someone younger than you. Before long, you get the sense that you’re living on borrowed time.

    It also seems obvious, as in this case, that it’s mostly the good who die young. In fact, I’m pretty certain that’s the reason I’m still around.

  2. #2 |  J sub D |  November 2nd, 2009 at 6:18 pm

    Superb job Radley. That was a moving tribute to someone who’s heroism deswerved to be more widely known.

  3. #3 |  JS |  November 2nd, 2009 at 7:26 pm

    he lived a great life to have freed four innocent people! Wish there were more like that one.

  4. #4 |  Dennis H. |  November 2nd, 2009 at 10:28 pm

    Tragic. But what man wouldn’t be proud to leave such a legacy?

  5. #5 |  Michael Chaney |  November 2nd, 2009 at 10:38 pm

    Report nearly finished in Ayer’s case:

    http://www.independentmail.com/news/2009/oct/29/gbi-report-shooting-lavonia-pastor-remain-confiden/

    GBI report on shooting of Lavonia pastor to remain confidential pending legal proceedings

    A report from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation into the shooting death of Lavonia pastor the Rev. Jonathan Ayers could be done soon, but a release of that report will take longer.

    Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney Brian Rickman said the report could be done in a matter of days. But as long as the legal process plays out in the case, the report will remain confidential, Rickman said.

  6. #6 |  Joe |  November 3rd, 2009 at 12:07 am

    Time to end this?

    I am sure Patterico can find a way to justify it.

  7. #7 |  Ariel |  November 3rd, 2009 at 1:50 am

    All I can say is thank you, to Mr. Shellum for what he did and you for not letting him go unnoticed at his passing.

  8. #8 |  Yizmo Gizmo |  November 3rd, 2009 at 10:43 am

    First Gary Webb, who broke Contra/Coke importation, now this guy.
    What is it about talented middle aged reporters
    offing themeselves?

  9. #9 |  pam |  November 3rd, 2009 at 5:04 pm

    wow, this article brought tears to my eyes. I forwarded it to a reporter I know at the Jackson Free Press who I thought would like it. Why do the good die young?

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