Journalism Requiem: Sean Bell verdict

When the Sean Bell verdict was announced, the homepage editor of a major television news Web site (the station has three letters and a B in the middle) was overheard saying, “Why aren’t they rioting?”

I recounted this story to a friend of mine, who is black. She laughed and said she was surprised they weren’t rioting, too.

But this same homepage editor went on to say that he didn’t know how big a story the verdict was unless “they” riot.

So, three cops being acquitted of murdering an unarmed man on his wedding day -- he was shot 50 times -- isn’t big news without this. Good to know.