Sunday, August 7, 2011

Why no media attention to Hubbard arrest?

On August 3rd Steven J. Hubbard, 42, was charged with sex crimes involving a minor, and he was jailed in the McHenry County Jail. Yet there has been no information in the media about this arrest.

Were details of the arrest released by the McHenry Police Department to the media? If so, did the media withhold publishing them? Or does the media not know about the arrest, because the police department hasn't told them? Is there a daily police blotter at the McHenry P.D. for reporters to read?

Hubbard was advised of his rights in the Jail's enclosed, secure hearing court by Judge Gordon Graham on August 4.

Normally, persons charged with sex crimes find their names and some details in the paper pretty quickly. While such publicity might be inherently unfair, because a person charged with crimes is presumed innocent until proven (or found) guilty, this is the way it works in this country. What's fair for one, is fair for all.

Certainly, should I be arrested for a sex crime (or any crime), the handcuffs wouldn't even be snapped shut before somebody would be on the phone to the local paper with the "news" of my arrest.

Is Hubbard receiving preferential treatment in the McHenry County Jail? If so, could it be because of an employment relationship or some personal relationship? Is he being held away from the general inmate population? Jail personnel should be promptly and fully informed by supervisors of any "special" relationships that exist, so that they can elevate attention to any prisoner who might, for any reason, be a target within a jail. If such important information is withheld from jailers, then both the inmate and the jailers could be at increased risk.

A call to the McHenry Police Department for information has not yet been returned.

According to VINELink, Hubbard remains in custody at the McHenry County Jail. His next court date is Tuesday, August 9.

1 comment:

FatParalegal said...

No kidding -- especially when the Daily Herald is running an article (with picture) about Bernardo Ramirez-Barron, another McHenry man, charged with sexual abuse. Bias? The power of Gummerson et al. as your lawyer? Hmmm....