Letters to the Editor

11/16/11 6:00pm

To the Editor:

I was quite surprised and disappointed that you published a picture of an alleged sexual offender in the current issue of the Thresher. I was under the impression that on a college campus, of all places, presumed innocence was a maxim practiced by you and your staff. I understand the gravity of the charges against Mr. Steiner, but until he has his day in court, he is guilty of nothing. Publishing a picture of him will expose him to ridicule and in the worst case scenario violence. He will be ostracized from the Rice community, and dare I say anyone who might read your paper. It doesn't matter what Channel 13 says or what the District Attorney says. He is innocent until a jury of his peers says otherwise.

In our zeal to protect victims of crime we might overreact and do things that we question in hindsight, but we must remember that all people have a presumption of innocence guaranteed by our Constitution.

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Brian Biekman is a Wiess College junior

edited 11/24/11 3:35am, corrected author name.

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