http://www.theatlantic.com/notes/2015/12/what-the-hell-just-happened-on-msnbc/418893/







A baffling, surreal scene just played out on the two networks, where the landlord of the San Bernardino shooting suspects apparently allowed reporters into their apartment.

The result was disturbing. On live national television, reporters sifted through the remains of the lives of Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik. They picked over children’s toys. They held up photos, speculating about whether the woman depicted in one might be Malik. They displayed Social Security cards and driver’s licenses with readily identifiable information—and not just for the deceased suspects.




As if the journalistic irresponsibility of baselessly speculating while holding up images of potentially innocent people on TV wasn’t bad enough, it beggars belief the scene wasn’t taped off and guarded. Reporters were given free rein to walk through an apartment that is an important part of the investigation, and they were allowed to handle what one would expect to be evidence. Police didn’t appear to know the media tour was going on.


How did law enforcement fail to secure the apartment? What were the networks thinking? This seems like a pair of major institutional failures.


Senator Lindsey Graham, appearing on MSNBC via phone just as the network cut away from the footage, expressed astonishment that reporters were being allowed into the scene. Shocked reporters expressed revulsion on Twitter.

How did law enforcement fail to secure the apartment? What were the networks thinking? This seems like a pair of major institutional failures.


Or maybe the landlord didn’t invite them in???









Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 12/04/2015 05:39PM by Fox News.

Fox News Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> http://www.theatlantic.com/notes/2015/12/what-the-
> A baffling, surreal scene just played out on the
> two networks, where the landlord of the San
> Bernardino shooting suspects apparently allowed
> reporters into their apartment.
>
> The result was disturbing. On live national
> television, reporters sifted through the remains
> of the lives of Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen
> Malik. They picked over children’s toys. They
> held up photos, speculating about whether the
> woman depicted in one might be Malik. They
> displayed Social Security cards and driver’s
> licenses with readily identifiable
> information—and not just for the deceased
> suspects:
>
> Screenshots from MSNBC. I added the redout
> pic.twitter.com/Ttu3zJ0Fjj
>
> — Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) December 4, 2015
> As if the journalistic irresponsibility of
> baselessly speculating while holding up images of
> potentially innocent people on TV wasn’t bad
> enough, it beggars belief the scene wasn’t taped
> off and guarded. Reporters were given free rein to
> walk through an apartment that is an important
> part of the investigation, and they were allowed
> to handle what one would expect to be evidence.
> Police didn’t appear to know the media tour was
> going on. Brian Ries of Mashable reports:
>
> Asked FBI Los Angeles if suspects' apartment now
> open to the media/public: “I don’t believe
> so…it is still an ongoing investigation.”
>
> — Brian Ries (@moneyries) December 4, 2015
> However, an NBC spokeswoman said the tour was
> approved by the FBI:
>
> As @mitchellreports said on @MSNBC: the apt owner
> permitted the press tour, the FBI has already
> cleared out useful evidence
>
> — Erika Masonhall (@ErikaMasonhall) December 4,
> 2015
> Senator Lindsey Graham, appearing on MSNBC via
> phone just as the network cut away from the
> footage, expressed astonishment that reporters
> were being allowed into the scene. Shocked
> reporters expressed revulsion on Twitter.
>
> How did law enforcement fail to secure the
> apartment? What were the networks thinking? This
> seems like a pair of major institutional
> failures.
>
> Update: Or maybe the landlord didn’t invite them
> in:
>
> Landlord says he didn't allow media into San
> Bernardino shooters' apartment: 'they rushed'
>
Attachments:

The landlord got permission from the FBI to "go into the house and clean up". This was after the FBI already surveyed the whole house. When the landlord entered, he invited the media in with him. I heard all this on WTOP on the way home.

It is surprising law enforcement would leave all those materials though. Wouldn't they want that stuff as potential evidence? Or did they just take pictures?

Garage Sale?

This is horrendous! The FBI gives the "all clear" and an owner of private property does whatever he wants to with his private property!

I get that it's unseemly and not the media's finest hour. That said, it's funny to hear conservatives argue that the government should keep private property out of the hands of its owner.

The media messed with evidence! How are they ever going to prosecute the dead terrorists now?!!!

Wonder if landlord charged for admittance?

I love how the press said it was disgraceful that they were allowed in while they rummaged through the place.

It was ALL the networks INCLUDING FOX News.

WTN?
Attachments:

Renters have very few privacy rights when it comes to landlords. They are not the owners of the property. As for the FBI, this isn't a crime scene and it doesn't fit the story of workplace violence.