TOW #25 - Dark Knight Massacre Trial Article

A recent Fox News article details a piece of long awaited news. James Holmes, the infamous mass murderer involved in the Dark Knight massacre is finally ready to go to court and be tried for his crimes. In July of 2012 he opened fire on a crowded movie theater, killing 12 and wounding up to 70.  In order to indite without condemning, the Associative Press had to walk a thin line in this report, with incredibly careful language. In addition, they made out the killer to be larger than life, in order to make the story more readable.

Word choice is the weapon of choice for those with subtle emotional roles to play in writing. Eyes are not "soulless" or "pitiful" but they are "vacant". Selfies with guns are not "terrifying" or "depressing" but they are "haunting". Fox News like the majority of its readers have reasonably set up Holmes as a character to be feared for his crimes than pitied for his possible mental disorders, but as the jury is literally still out, they must be careful not to make too gross their shared perspective. They expertly practice a thing veil of restraint.

Additionally, regardless of whether or not the indirect glorification of a mass murderer is appropriate, Fox seems to be taking the Dark Knight connection and running with it, describing Holmes almost as a supervillain. They emphasize his neuroscientist background and play up his abnormal personality, going so far as to describe his hair dye as "comic book orange". This careful presentation of the facts in a manner than gives a sick criminal a larger-than-life status is effective however, as it does make for a more memorable and recommendable article.

Fox News reporters, through subtle word choice, emotional recognition, arrangement of information, and above all, presentation of the facts produced a high memorable and vindicating report on the long awaited trial of James Holmes. Investigations into his drug and alcohol use, possible psychosis, neuroscience background, and booby-trapped apartment have culminated in an emotionally charged trial being reported on eagerly by Fox News.