By Christopher M Peeks November 3,
*Sad Anniversary
Today mar
Today marks the sad one-year anniversary of Bubba Copeland committing suicide. The sad culmination of a mean-spirited witch hunt by Craig Monger of 1819 News. This has forever left a black eye not only on the Alabama media but on journalism in general.
Craig Monger:A Tabloid Journalist
This sad affair started when 1819 News reporter Craig Monger, in a style better suited for scandalous tabloid journalism, wrote an article on the Smith Station Mayor's online trans persona. Monger did not stop there. In an evil display of relentless Rottweiler-like ferocity, not releasing its bite after going in for the kill, Monger, just like a Rotty shaking its head from left to right with clenched jaws, followed suit.
A Witch Hunt
The 1819 News Reporter then accused Copeland, who also owned the town's grocery store, of "stalking" female patrons. Before long, Monger reported on the Baptist Church Preacher's services as well as a response from the State's leadership. The poor guy even ended up on The Rick and Bubba Show.
*The Final Moments
It seemed like this controversy would never end, but sadly it did. Forty-eight hours after 1819 News first published the story authored by Craig Monger, in front of Lee County sheriff's deputies responding to a welfare check, Copeland, after driving around for about 10 minutes with the deputies following and emergency lights flashing, pulled over. After exiting the vehicle, he committed suicide by shooting himself in the head.
The Rest Of The Story
You would think the story ended there, but what transpired next is even more despicable. Editor-in-Chief Jeff Poor authored a post announcing Copeland committed suicide and asked for prayers for the family. However, upon checking tonight, that post has been edited and Poor's name replaced with 1819 News.
*Jeff Poor Want Drop It
Now, if asking people to pray for the family of the man 1819 News drove to kill himself were not horrid enough, Poor then announces Lee County formed a grand jury to investigate the dead man, to determine if he used the likeness of two of the town's women on a porn website.
*Character Assassination
1819 News kept on with the character assassination taking the indignation to new heights. Jennifer Oliver O'Donnell, despite no mentions anywhere other than her opinion piece in which she offers zero sources and nothing I found in Google searches, the investigative journalist that she is listed on 1819 News website alleges the man put the images of children on pornographic websites.
Ruining A Man's Life Because They Can
Outstanding! Did the staff at 1819 News decide, "Hey, let's go destroy this man's life?" Instead of saving face and immediately firing Monger and Poor, 1819 News goes after him in death. Does the online news source feel proud of themselves? Are they happy? Do you have any guilt for having blood on your hands?
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Unanswered Questions
By the way, whatever happened to the investigation? Did the Lee County grand jury decide not to indict Bubba Copeland? What were the names of the porn sites? You knew everything else?
Why
The better question is: why did you not report on the children's images on the porn websites? Excellent way Jones worded it. She called Copeland a pedophile without using the phrase.
Who
Another question is how did Craig Monger get this information? How did he know which websites to go to? Did someone with a political ax to grind? And how this the person know where to send Monger?
So Ends The Tragic Tale Of Bubba Copeland
So ends the tragic tale of Bubba Copeland. May he rest in peace. Let this be a lesson that some things are not newsworthy and to focus on things that are.
Christopher M Peeks
Reporter and Columnist
Alabama Political Contributor
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