Exhaling on Reitz case
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Among the more troubling circumstances in journalism is when we have no choice but to tell a one-sided story.
We do our best, of course, to seek out both sides - all sides - but it's not always possible, at least initially.
That was the case in September when a Snydertown-area woman filed a private criminal complaint against a father-and-son farming operation in the Irish Valley. She claimed multiple cases of animal cruelty.
Working with the powerful animal rights group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), she was able to get a district magistrate to accept her "private" complaint. It's unusual for a private citizen to take such action; usually, law enforcement is involved. But if a magistrate feels there's reason enough to accept the charges, a private complaint moves forward.
There are inherent questions, of course, as to someone acting on their own to file criminal charges. If the facts are thought to be true, why isn't law enforcement involved? Adding to the tension is this case is the fact that PETA doesn't always get a lot of sympathy in these parts, particularly when it's attacking the agricultural industry.
Regardless, it was a story in our eyes if for no other reason than the magistrate allowed the charges. Also, the accused farm deals with Land O' Lakes, among the nation's leading producers of dairy products.
As would be expected, however, the farmers weren't talking. They and their lawyer refused to say much to the press, preferring to have their day in court. In the meantime, the stories were naturally lopsided with myriad accusations. One mitigating factor was that Land O' Lakes defended the farm in question and the company's own quality and treatment practices.
Otherwise, we waited a long six-plus months to get - through a preliminary hearing - the position of the defendants. Finally, we were able to tell the other side of the story.
And, as it would turn out, the same magistrate who accepted the private criminal complaint has ruled against it. The farmers have been found not guilty on all accounts.
It was the defendants' choice to remain mum up until the hearing. Probably smart legal advice, as was perhaps proven through the judge's decision.
Regardless of the outcome, for the media, the hearing finally gave us an opportunity to provide some balance to the story.
(Heintzelman, editor of The News-Item, writes "The Week In News" for each Saturday edition.)
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