Individual was thrown from a horse, suffered a severe neck injury and has died. Will add the name later.

Was Gary Gatlin, Powder River County Coroner, 71.

he was such a nice man...Condolences to the family...

Posting these gruesome "I know something you don't know" posts is not such a good idea. Instead of worrying people that someone they might know might be dead, how about waiting until you CAN release the name. It would be much kinder.

Amen, Amorette.

Respect all opinions, but law enforcement routinely issue press releases and media print/broadcast preliminary reports stating identity of victim(s) being withheld pending notification of relatives, etc.

This is not a case or "I know something you don't know". I simply wait for the local funeral home to list the name so that I am not accused of listing a name before the relatives are notified.

I assume that if there is a news story that a tornado kills three in Oklahoma, The Star will not publish the story because the names are not listed.

This is local. This is people you know who may be upset. You are not a public news source. You are upsetting people. All I ask is some concern for those people.

Mr. Birkholz is no faster than the grapevine. And the grapevine usually includes speculation, which is frequently inaccurate. I'm with Mr. Birkholz.

Is it more important that random people on a website know what is going than respecting the families or those who are upset by these postings?

So The Star never publishes (hard copy or online) any story wherein someone died until after the victim's name is released by law enforcement, coroner, etc? That would be unusual.

I tend to agree with Don. It was informational only, made no disparaging comments, and quite frankly was a reminder about equine safety.

That answers my question.

Don't see a problem....wasn't disrespectful.

You might find that people who live away from the Miles City area appreciate hearing about these incidents via these forums as they are less likely to "hear it through the grapevine".

The community mourns with the family and friends at such a tragic loss.

Agree with David and wouldn't hear about it otherwise...thanks for mentioning it on this forum...

It's not the mentioning it that is the problem, its the method of announcing somebody died before saying WHO died. That might upset someone who doesn't know for a fact who died and suspects it might be someone they know.

But morbid curiosity trumps compassion every time.

Every radio station, TV station in the country and every newspaper in the country announces that local individuals have died (from accidents) and do not list the name, including the Miles City Star. Are you complaining about the policies of the Miles City Star? If there is a traffic fatality in Powder River County, the MHP will issue a press release "Traffic fatality on hgwy 212 x miles from Broadus. Name to be released after notifying next of kin" Are you opposed to that type of reporting?

[This message has been edited by Don Birkholz (6/15/2014)]

I'm opposed to ALL types of reporting. As far as I'm concerned, if you port once, then that should be enough. Keep your butt in port! You shouldn't need to go anywhere no matter who you notify!

[end rant]

[[for now]]

FH

"Port and Report went up the hill..."