Joanna Yeates: The Sun Owns ‘Our Jo’ And Debating Chris Jefferies’s Death
JOANNA Yeates: Chris Jefferies might take some money from the papers being assassinated by the media. He might take money from Avon and Somerset Police, who chose not to say that he was “helping us with our enquiries”, preferring to tell us that he was suspected of murder.
Chris Jefferies is on the front page of the Mirror:
“I DIDN’T KILL HER”
This is an “exclusive”. Mr Jefferies has been speaking with “Baptist minister Irving Steggles. He tells us:
“He was quite frustrated but he is not angry – he is not an angry man. He knows he is innocent and I think he is quite upbeat. He wants to rebuild his reputation and he is looking to the future. He was just utterly surprised to be arrested.”
What of his state of being?
He is an emotionally well balanced man – he is psychologically strong. He is a strong person. He has got a good support group. I think he will come through this. He is a man with a very high view of justice.”
Remember when Robert Murat was being spoken of as a possible suicide by a vindictive press? Mr Jefferies’s “survival” is now a topic of tabloid discussion.
On the Express’s front page, Mr Jefferies says:
“My ordeal is nearly over.”
The Express also hears from Mr Steggeles, a cleric at Birchleigh Baptist Church in Johannesburg’s north-eastern suburb of Kempton Park. He now tells us:
He is preparing a case against the media and the police, I believe. This has completely shattered his life.
The story is now the property of the media. The Sun, having labelled Chris Jefferies an oddball, as well as “weird… posh…lewd…creepy”, now seeks to take ownership of Joanna Yeates’ remains and the story. The paper is offering a reward. If Chris Jefferies is this season’s Robert Murat, then Joanna Yeates is Our Jo, a grown up Maddie McCann:
The Sun (front page): “JO: £50,000 REWARD”
This is:
“Our pleas to help nail her murderer”
You can go to the Sun’s website and print off a big photo of “Jo” with the price and the words “THE SUN” above her head.
Can cash trigger a result? Well, yes. But the Sun’s campaign smacks of opportunism. This is a paper that made a landgrap for Baby P’s grave. The poster is just way of using the big murder hunt to advertise its brand and caring heart. It’s voraciously cynical.
What do the police think of it?
Detective Chief Inspector Phil Jones said: “I am grateful for the generosity of The Sun. And I am sure Jo’s family will be touched by this kind gesture.
“It demonstrates the level to which the murder has touched the nation – and the commitment of the media in supporting our efforts to bring whoever is responsible to justice.
“I’m sure someone out there has that vital piece of information we need to catch Jo’s killer.”
Well, of course someone does. She was murdered, DCI Jones. And as for getting into bed with the Sun… Well, when you’ve still not caught the killer and the paper is attacking you and your colleagues, you might want to reconsider your choice of posse partners.
The Mail has an idea who might have done it. On its front page, readers are asked:
“DID FACEBOOK FRIEND KILL JO?”
Apparently, police are seeking to trace Joanna Yeates’s 200 Facebook pals.
But the police should not waste their time because the Star has amazing news on its front page:
“I KNOW WHO KILLED JO YEATES”
Adding:
“New evience meerges as police probe stalker”
We are told:
MURDERED Joanna Yeates had a secret stalker who was desperate to get her alone, police believe.
Believe? An unnamed source tell us:
“It is possible she was being watched. She may have been attacked by a stalker she didn’t know she had.’’
And that is new evidence. How? Who is this “I” who announces on the front page that they “know who killed Jo Yeates”? Do they exist?
The story goes on:
March 8th, 2011 at 11:59 pm
Has anything good come out of this? Not much.
Anyone who is a potential witness in a murder inquiry will think more than twice about coming forward. And the fact that Mr Jefferies remained on bail for two months after being released without charge shows the police to be scumbags who don’t care.
If I were him, I’d be trying for 6-figure libel payouts from the Redtops and the police, not so much for the money but simply to demonstrate this kind of behaviour is completely unacceptable.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:00 am
From the above link:
“I also agree with the view of blogger Anorak that Jefferies has been “monstered by the media until he morphed into something that resembled a blue-haired, child worrying, potential serial killer.”"
January 7th, 2011 at 10:41 am
Roy Greenslade in the Guardian is bang on the mark. This reward is purely to deflect criticism from The Sun’s disgraceful reporting regarding Chris Jefferies. It is also indicative of their view of human nature (ie judging all by their own standards); that people need a considerable sum of money before going to the police with information in a murder case.
The reward merely underlines the fact that the ‘newspaper’; its staff and entire editorial team are amoral, mercernary scum.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2011/jan/07/joanna-yeates-sun