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April 23, 2010

"Ohio considers using Twitter to announce executions"

The title of this post is the headline of this new story out of Ohio.  Here are the details:

A spokeswoman says Ohio's prison system has contemplated using Twitter to announce when an execution has been completed.  However, Communications Director Julie Walburn at the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction says she's concerned that tweeting about an inmate's time of death may be considered in poor taste.

She says the department still hasn't decided how to use Twitter and other social media to disseminate news. Walburn says she's focused on trying to get the word out about executions quickly. When condemned inmate Darryl Durr died by lethal injection at 10:36 a.m. Tuesday, a news release was e-mailed to media outlets one minute later.

I know lots and lots of people consider a state's efforts to execute someone to be in "poor taste," but I see no reason not to use all modern means of communication to report on these efforts.  But perhaps other have different views on taste and technology (which they are encouraged to express in the comments).

April 23, 2010 at 11:42 AM | Permalink

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Comments

Bird-brains rule in Ohio.

Posted by: Walter | Apr 23, 2010 3:02:17 PM

Well, Walter, they just take after you.

Posted by: federalist | Apr 23, 2010 6:58:33 PM

Regardless of whether attempting to execute someone is in "poor taste" surely sharing news of their death via a medium more suited to bar crawl updates is unbefitting the dignity of the state.

Posted by: Liz | Apr 23, 2010 7:38:27 PM

The dignity of the state? It's got a Valley Girl speaking on behalf of its death-row operation.

Posted by: John K | Apr 24, 2010 9:54:34 AM

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