Intriguing ‘tabloid’ coverage of rapist’s release

Date Published: 17-Aug-2010

There’s a lot to be said for tabloid journalism and TV3 proved that on Thursday night with their live coverage of events following the release of Larry Murphy, suspected serial killer.

His brother Thomas sat in the TV3 studio for their Prime Suspect: Larry Murphy and told the nation that he had nothing to do with his convicted brother, hadn’t spoken to him since 2005 and that neither he nor his sisters would be taking their brother in.

Liberals could argue that the type of coverage Murphy has received following his release from Arbor Hill was infringing on his civil liberties but even the FBI say that this man will strike again and Gardaí suspect he may be linked to a number of missing women.

The tabloids have already done lots of articles and have even issued full page photographs of him telling readers not to approach him if they see him, as if they would – by now, not even his own family want him.

It was sad listening to his brother talking about how their lives have been in turmoil because of the publicity surrounding Larry and how pictures of the family home have been published leading to even more media parking outside their house.

The programme went live to their journalist in Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, where local people held a meeting about their concerns about Larry coming back to live among them.

Presenter Alan Cantwell asked Thomas what relationship his widowed mother had with his brother Larry and like most Irish families, he was unable to say as they obviously didn’t speak about the unspeakable. Most, if not all Irish families, have skeletons in the closet which are never spoken about but a suspect serial killer and a convicted rapist – wow, that’s a big one.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.