At the risk of sounding morbid....

lilpup · April-23-09, 02:42 AM

If the news agencies are going to report suicides I wish they would follow up with a few details so we'd know the rest of the story at least as far as possible motivation/triggering event goes [[e.g. the SUV that went into the river off Belle Isle and now this guy on I-275).

Telling us would be far better than us speculating [[because I don't really want to believe it's all about the economy, but that I-275 overpass is right around the corner from an auto industry company, plus I worked in that general area for years).

**sumas** · April-23-09, 03:04 AM

I thought the press did not report suicides. I do not get email subcription so perhaps I am wrong. I do agree that if they report these events you should be told "the rest of the story".

Stosh · April-23-09, 07:09 AM

They report them on TV more often than in the print media. I can't imagine that providing the reasons would be helpful, other than for morbid curiosity, and potential "push and shove" for someone that is in the same boat.

**Kelton** · April-23-09, 07:54 AM

The news last night did refer to it as a suicide. I think it's pretty obvious when someone jumps off a freeway overpass that it is a suicide.

I do not believe "the rest of the story" should be used to embellish a news story or to satisfy the curiosity of strangers to the family. We're all extremely conscious of what is happening to our world's economy, our jobs and our family finances, so it's easy to speculate one of those woes could be the cause of a suicide.

However, what if this jump was prompted by the stress of a divorce, or the death of a child, or loss of a parent, or the pain of cancer, etc.? That is the business of only the family. Aren't they suffering enough having lost a family member to suicide? Now they should have their dirty laundry or private affairs aired for all the world to see? I would favor more discretion than that.

**pffft** · April-23-09, 08:34 AM

Yes, but...

When you jump off of a public overpass onto a busy freeway, thus traumatizing dozens, possibly hundreds who witness your act, you've effectively ceded your right to privacy.

**iheartthed** · April-23-09, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by pffft

Yes, but...

When you jump off of a public overpass onto a busy freeway, thus traumatizing dozens, possibly hundreds who witness your act, you've effectively ceded your right to privacy.

Except that privacy means nothing to the person who committed suicide, so that person cannot cede it. The privacy protection courtesy is intended to support the family.

**greebomusic** · April-23-09, 08:49 AM

May I ask as to which overpass and when this happened? I didn't catch the news last night. I look at I-275 from my desk every day.

**pffft** · April-23-09, 08:50 AM

Family members are innocent victims of this, yes, but an act like that endangers many people. The press can't brush it under the carpet for fear of offending the family.

**iheartthed** · April-23-09, 08:54 AM

But what purpose does it serve for the press to run a suicide story if not to just broadcast information that is not any of our business? Would they do it deter others from committing suicide due to public safety concerns? To alert the public to be more cognizant of people falling from freeway overpasses?

Stosh · April-23-09, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

But what purpose does it serve for the press to run a suicide story if not to just broadcast information that is not any of our business? Would they do it deter others from committing suicide due to public safety concerns? To alert the public to be more cognizant of people falling from freeway overpasses?

I suspect that the vast majority of suicides that occur are never publicized. Only the very public, and messy ones get splashed across the newspaper and TV. And in a way, the method of your choosing determines the level of coverage of your death. I think that those that choose to go that route with their suicide are attempting to make a "statement" of sorts with their demise, kind of a "I told you so" moment.

Not a very effective strategy, to say the least, for the general public, since outside of the horror of the act for the witnesses, and the inconvenience of the cleanup and traffic blockages, I'd say no one really cares why the act is done outside of the suicide's family and friends.

**Kelton** · April-23-09, 09:23 AM

It was the Warren Road overpass. Canton police were handling it.

It was a "news" story because it caused a 3 hour blockage of the highway.

The details of the whys of the suicide are no one business but that family's. Yes, it was a poor choice of how to end one's life because now those who ran over him have that guilt even though it was not at all their fault. It's the same thing as someone who kills himself by putting his body in front of an oncoming train. No thought is given to the poor train conductor whose train splatters him all over the tracks, something which will haunt him forever I'm sure. A person committing suicide isn't thinking rationally, and the feelings of someone else are the farthest thing from his mind.

But since none of us know the circumstances that pushed this man into taking his own life, we cannot understand why this happened the way it did.

**ronaldj** · April-23-09, 10:24 AM

I always read newspaper obits that use "died suddenly" as suicides.

Retroit · April-23-09, 12:09 PM

How credible would a reason be if given from someone who is so distraught that they are about to take their own life? If the person left a note saying "I killed myself because I lost my job", how would you explain the absence of suicide from everyone else that lost their job? In other words, there probably isn't just one logical reason, but many compiled and confusing factors that the individual has not been able to sort out and think through unemotionally.

lilpup · April-23-09, 12:17 PM

Well, there are often triggering events that are identifiable and questioning about these is usually part of the official investigative process.

The deal is readers will assume scenarios that fit their thinking [[and thus be more likely to be 'pushed', imho) because the media isn't telling the full story. People's imagined scenarios are often worse and more extravagent than the real story [[seriously, that's how the rag tabloids make their living).

**Maxine1958** · April-23-09, 02:16 PM

As someone who has been affected by the suicide of a loved one, I think I can honestly say that nothing good would come of broadcasting the 'reasons' for someone to take their own lives.

Even if the person left a note, printing the contents in the media would only deepen the pain of those who loved and cared for the person. The signs are not always evident. The reasons given most likely would not cause the majority to end their lives. But that person at that time could not see a purpose or prospect for the future.

When the suicide affects the public, as this one did, then the media must comment on it. Beyond that, there would be no benefit.

lilpup · April-23-09, 04:05 PM

When they comment on it they should mention the probable trigger is all I'm saying. I'm not asking for all the details, just a mention - unemployed with financial trouble, relationship problems, whatever.

And I'm sure no one here has a corner on being affected by suicides.

**Gistok** · April-23-09, 04:42 PM

One can't help but feel sorry for the family and friends.... and I don't mean to make light of the situation....

... but a few months ago someone posted this pic... all those of you that lost a lot in your mutual funds and stock portfolio, or even lost your job... will probably appreciate this one... again!

**turkeycall** · April-24-09, 06:10 AM

When a newspaper death notice refers to the deceased as "died suddenly," it does not always point to a suidcide. In most cases the "died suddenly" tag is a reference to an accidental death such as a car accident, a fall off a ladder at home, or even an unintended firearm discharge. Of course, murder is always sudden.

Very often the reader can make a guess as to the cause of death by noting the memorial requests of the family. If contributions in lieu of flowers are asked to be made to Survivors of Suicide, one might "guess" how the death occurred. The same goes for The American Cancer Society, the Heart Association, or some similar organisation which has as its goal the elimination of a disease or condition.

**pffft** · April-24-09, 08:34 AM

More people than not have been affected by suicide, as someone pointed out.

I have relatives who as small children had to endure this, and I can tell you nothing the press could or would report can compare with the lifelong grief imposed by the parent who did this.

**Gistok** · April-24-09, 11:17 AM

I have to agree with Pffft....

Suicide has affected just about everyone in some way or another....

When I grew up in the Balduck Park area of the far east side [[on Marseilles St.)... my older brother's best friend hung himself in his garage on University & Minerva in the 1970's [[although many years later his aunt told me it was Autoerotica Asphyxia).

Then on Marseilles in the 1980's, I had a friend who with was arrested with 2 DUI's... upon his 3rd arrest, he left the car running in his mothers garage with the garage door closed.

And then more recently [[just discussed on a Balduck Park thread)... there was the suicides [[in the past) of Michael Pillon [[Ashley) and Wayne Gotts [[Lodewyck).

It's a sad and tragic world sometimes...

**Maxine1958** · April-24-09, 01:01 PM

I didn't mean to imply that I was the only one affected by the suicide of a loved one. There are far too many people in this world suffering in solitude for a mirad of reasons. But announcing to the world the supposed reasons would cause more pain to those left behind than any 'need to know' from the public at large.