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LiveLeak defends use of fatal Crash Video

by: Jason Springer

Sat May 19, 2007 at 03:54:33 PM EDT

On May 10, there was a fatal car crash on the Garden State Parkway when a car slammed into the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza and burst into Flames. Footage of the crash was somehow released and made its way onto the internet on sites like Youtube and Liveleak.com, aired on the local news and was on the Atlantic City Press Website.

The NJ Turnpike Authority is investigating how the footage was released, but they had asked the sites to take down the video and LiveLeak.com co-founder Hayden Hewitt said that the website would not take down the video...

"It's a newsworthy video, and it's definitely worth discussing," said Hewitt.
"If they can give us a legal takedown order, we will obviously have to take this down," Hewitt said.

The Turnpike Authority spokesman wasn't very pleased by that response...

"Do these people have families? It is just wrong to have this posted," Orlando said.
The Turnpike Authority planned to examine legal options in the coming week, Orlando said. Meanwhile, an investigation continued into how surveillance footage ended up on the Internet.
"The video shouldn't have been released to begin with. We would like to know how that happened," Orlando said.

Youtube has not responded to the request, the tv station says they got no complaints and the AC Press voluntarily pulled the video down from their site. So what do you think, is it newsworthy and worth discussing? It it flaunting tragedy to get attention? I'll put the link below the fold and you can decide for yourself, but i must admit i was conflicted as to whether to post it because if it was someone close to me, i would not want to have to see it.

Jason Springer :: LiveLeak defends use of fatal Crash Video

Link to see the video

Tags: NJ Turnpike Authority, Egg Harbor Tolls, parkway, Car Crash, (All Tags)

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LiveLeak defends use of fatal Crash Video | 8 comments

it should stay up (0.00 / 0)

It is newsworthy, and a discussion of safety of driving and toll collecting is important. 9/11 videos are shown regularly.

If anything, the news probably leans away from showing videos they should. There have been hundreds of thousands killed and wounded in Iraq, and very few if any shown on tv.

I have to think of a witty signature about Frank LoBiondo

by: Hopeful @ Sat May 19, 2007 at 15:56:50 PM CDT

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yikes (0.00 / 0)

well the images are certainly horrifying, but trying to hide the incident (presumably for the PR hit) is probably not the best tact.

i watched the video. it's pretty scarey.

Jay_Lass on Twitter.

by: Jay Lassiter @ Sat May 19, 2007 at 16:51:14 PM CDT

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Go read the comments at LiveLeak. (0.00 / 0)

Then come back and give us your impressions about the place. And not just the comments on the accident. Poke around some.

The nom de plume has a long and distinguished history.

by: Tandalayo Scheisskopf @ Sat May 19, 2007 at 19:23:29 PM CDT

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The State Police and Govenor igore the law, speed, (0.00 / 0)

lie, and then try to pin blame on a poor sap in a red pickup truck, and THIS is what state officials are worried about?!

by: karenV @ Sat May 19, 2007 at 20:56:52 PM CDT

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Should be taken down. (0.00 / 0)

Accidents are frequently reported in the news -- especially ones as horrific as this. I think if news organizations had footage of crashes like these, they would show it.

Case in point: I saw this video last night. In a story about the video's leak on NBC4's 11 pm broadcast, it was played twice -- once and then immediately again for those of us who were caught offguard so we could pay closer attention the second time. The anchor talked about the outrage the leak has caused, and yet played it twice for everyone at home.

Is the story of the crash newsworthy? Definitely. Is the video of the crash newsworthy? No way. It's pornographic. The article states that hardcore pornography is banned from the site. This falls in that category.

Yet, news organizations would/will undoubtedly play these videos if/when they get their hands on them. Imagine how many times we would have seen the Corzine crash if it were on tape?

by: JRB @ Sat May 19, 2007 at 21:32:18 PM CDT

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This is a question of taste (0.00 / 0)

& not a serious matter.

by: Wesleylake @ Sat May 19, 2007 at 23:09:05 PM CDT

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The real discussion should be about the toll booths. (4.00 / 1)

In this day and age, it's absurd that high-speed traffic is forced into these deathtrap roadbocks. I can't count how many near-misses I see on the Parkway and Turnpike from people trying to get to an EZ Pass or less-crowded lane, or who are just confused by the sudden roadblock.

Other states got rid of these toll both death trap hazards (usually after an accident with horrific loss of life). Is NJ going to wait until a tractor-trailer plows into a toll booth and kills 20 people before it does the same?

I can't believe that in all the discussion on this tragic video, no one is talking about the elephant in the room - the hazard of the toll boths themselves.

by: karenV @ Sun May 20, 2007 at 08:24:00 AM CDT

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that is true (0.00 / 0)

great point.

I have to think of a witty signature about Frank LoBiondo

by: Hopeful @ Sun May 20, 2007 at 14:46:25 PM CDT

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