Vigilant Fairness

Finally. I wondered how long it would take the Editorial writers of the Star to tie in Bill Marra with the Lori Dupont case. (His name was mentioned 7 times so you would not forget the connection). It's a good thing that he wrote to a Letter to the Editor to make it easier for them to do so.

I believe it is somewhat disingenuous of the Star to continue writing Editorials as they have been. There was a horrible tragedy. Consequences flow from that as the Star rightly knows from their own headlines and the Hospital has to take steps to protect itself as well or else they would have been acting improperly. It is not all one-sided. As an example:

Police consider charging hospital in nurse's stabbing death

• Police are investigating whether charges of criminal negligence causing death should be laid against staff and administration of Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital in last year's stabbing death of nurse Lori Dupont at the hands of jilted boyfriend Dr. Marc Daniel.
  
  Staff Sgt. Ed McNorton said investigators are looking at Section 217 of the Criminal Code, which describes the legal duty for persons "who undertake to do an act." Breaking the section by omitting that duty can lead to a charge of criminal negligence causing death under another section of the code.
  
  Sgt. McNorton said police are being thorough and want to cover all bases."
  
  

Dieu faces lawsuit in slaying: Nurse 'didn't have to die,' lawyer says

• Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital and nine of its senior administrators and doctors face a $13.5-million lawsuit in the murder of nurse Lori Dupont."

Life is complicated these days and it does not always flow the way the Star would like it to do so There are competing demands on the Hospital as the Star is well aware. Just like if you, dear reader, have a car accident, your insurer takes over and you are required to act in a certain fashion or your policy could be voided.

Why doesn't the Star remember that "A coroner's probe was put on hold last week and was turned into a criminal investigation after it was revealed that information being gathered by detectives for the coroner's office was also being considered by police for possible criminal prosecution."

I would have thought that it took some guts for the Hospital to set up the inquiry that it did. Perhaps the Star should be reminded too that the Dupont family is onside:

• " The Dupont family has been kept apprised of the development of the probe.
  
  "As a family we fully endorse the review that's going to take place," said Stan Dupont, Lori's brother.
  
  "We're very hopeful that it's going to provide answers to the events that occurred at the hospital."

Vigilant fairness means that it is time for the Star to stop!