In his hand-wringing column of May 3 (“Photos raise troubling questions about arrest of suspect in corporal’s killing“), Bill Nemitz tortuously explores how the “ghastly” capture and arrest photos of accused cop-killer John D. Williams, one taken when he was on the ground and the other showing him with a black eye, were – gosh – potentially uncivilized.

I have a question: If those photos are such a horrible violation, why has every newspaper that carries Nemitz’s column published the photos multiple times?

Leaving aside the journalistic hypocrisy, I nominate the “Somerset selfies” for news photos of the year, and congratulate the law enforcement professionals on their restraint.

Chet Lunner

Cape Elizabeth

Copy the Story Link