Agreed: Haidl coverage over-the-top

Thank you for publishing Wendy Leece’s letter Sunday (“Haidl coverage

went too far for a family newspaper”) about the Daily Pilot’s

coverage of the trial of Greg Haidl, son of Orange County Assistant

Sheriff Don Haidl, Kyle Nachreiner and Keith Spann.

I think she speaks for a lot of us who read the graphic front-page

coverage with dismay.

I really enjoy my hometown paper and appreciate your relevant

coverage of local issues. However, I wish I had called the Pilot

earlier to protest. The public should be informed, the journalist’s

job is an important one, but certain details of this situation did

not belong on the front page of a family newspaper.

I was particularly concerned, because when we go on vacation, we

donate our subscription to the local schools. We encourage our

grandchildren to read newspapers and to think critically about what

they read. I dreaded the questions my 8-year-old granddaughter would

ask if she saw that article, and I resented thinking that if she came

over, I would have to keep my favorite paper out of sight. In the

future, I hope the Pilot will balance the public’s right to know with

a little more discretion.

Also, I hope Leece really doesn’t think her work to get

pornographic newspapers out of public sight was a waste. That stuff

was all over town when my kids were young. Now it’s not, thanks to

her and those who worked with her.

One last thought about the Haidl situation. It’s too bad one of

the jury’s choices couldn’t have been to sentence the boys and Jane

Doe to several sessions of psychological counseling. Those poor,

mixed-up kids. They have no sense of their own value or of the value

of others.

It is up to us parents and grandparents to pay attention to our

kids and work with them to establish self-respect and respect for

others.

Thank God for the one young lady who had enough sense of right and

wrong to know that something was very wrong when she saw the

videotape and who had enough courage to bring it to the attention of

the police. Now I hope the kids on the tape will get the help they

need and lead healthier lives.

ROBIN LEFFLER

Costa Mesa