Relationship Between LE and Reporters

[Seagull]

While this article is from the Los Angeles Times it includes references to the Zodiac Killer, the San Francisco Chronicle, Paul Avery, SFPD and a blunt quote from SF detective Bill Armstrong. The article discusses the history of how LE and the press interacted including when and why their relationship changed. The Zodiac case seemed to be the exception for mutual cooperation between the two at a time when LE was distancing itself from the press.

I have reformatted the article to make it easier to post.

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[mike_r]

Hi-

Interesting article. More like a small book, lol! I think it was pretty obvious that Avery was trying to taunt Z in his articles. The effort was actually pretty ham handed at times--latent homosexual, clumsy criminal, etc.
Mike

[Seagull]

It is a long article, I thought I would never finish reformatting it so that it was easier to read. It is so insightful though and leaves little to be taken out of context.

I truly wonder now if Toschi may have run that Aug. 1976 personal ad in the classifieds. 1976 was at a time when Zodiac hadn't been heard from in a while and the case was stale.

[doranchak]

Very interesting - thanks for sharing it, Seagull!

[doranchak]

There seems to be an editorial response to that article in the Apr 25, 1975 issue, but I don't have access:

[Seagull]

Not an editorial response but Letters to the Editor!

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[doranchak]

Cool - thanks!

[Tahoe27]

Boy, was Father Bohler right.

Great article find Seagull. Not much has changed since then. When it comes to Avery though, most of his stuff comes from comments of law enforcement...even the homosexual comments.

I don't think Zodiac took issue with reporters. He liked them. They made him famous.

[murray]

Great article, and letters to the editor. Thanks for posting!