City police right to stop naming people charged

An open letter to city police Chief Scott Gilbert:

I am writing to express my deepest gratitude and relief at reading an article in the Jan. 20 Examiner advising that your department will no longer be releasing the names of those accused of committing a crime.

This puts to an end, at least in Peterborough, to what I have called for years: “trial by newspaper.” This previous approach has made a farce of the fundamental belief of our legal system that we are “innocent until proven guilty.”

In the real world, just having one’s name published as being accused leads most people to the assumption of guilt. It makes one wonder why we bother having a legal system at all. Countless innocent citizens have had their reputations, and lives, ruined by the old system of releasing their names when accused.

I, and many others I’m sure, thank you for taking this longoverdue step toward a more fair system of justice.

Paul Cragg MD (Ret’d)