Fox News sued over JoDon Romero on-air suicide

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**Dreadclaw69**

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22946205

The mother of three children of a US man whose suicide was inadvertently broadcast live on Fox News Channel has sued the network, claiming infliction of emotional distress.

In September, JoDon Romero, 33, killed himself after an extended police chase.

Initially unaware of the man's identity, his three children later watched the broadcast on the internet.

The broadcaster has apologised for the "severe human error" that led to the death's airing.

Angela Rodriguez, the mother of JoDon Romero's children aged about nine, 13 and 15, wrote in a court filing in the US state of Arizona that the children suffered severe emotional and psychological trauma.

She is suing the broadcaster for unspecified damages.

On 28 September Romero shot himself in the head at the end of an hour-long police chase after stealing a car at gunpoint, as a news helicopter flew overhead. Police officials said he had a long criminal history and was wanted for parole violations.

Post-traumatic stress disorder
Filed earlier this month, the suit against Fox News Channel and its parent company News Corp alleges that on that day, Romero's children heard rumours at school of a suicide on live television. They went home and searched for the footage on YouTube, only realising it was their father while watching.

Immediately following the broadcast of the death, the Fox News presenter apologised to the audience, saying the incident should have been censored using a delay. Subsequently, a Fox News executive also apologised and put the broadcast down to "severe human error".

Ms Rodriguez says her children "have been, and continue to be, severely traumatised" by the footage and have shown symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, including flashbacks and sleep disturbances.

She says the elder two children have not returned to school since their father's death.

While there is no doubt that Fox News should not have shown the suicide of Mr Romero, how much liability can be attached to them when Mr Romero's children "searched for the footage on YouTube, only realising it was their father while watching."? Did Fox News upload a clip themselves?

**Sigvatr**

I want to send the "Mother of the Year" award to that lady.

13 and 15 year old browsing the internet on their own...yep.

**Alfndrate**

Sigvatr wrote:
I want to send the "Mother of the Year" award to that lady.

13 and 15 year old browsing the internet on their own...yep.

At that age, I was browsing the internet on my own... There were parental controls in place, but I had the password, so it didn't matter...

**kronk**

Internet didn't exist when I was 13 or 15. I had to look at nudy books I found by the train tracks.

I mean, this is a horrible story, and I'm sorry these kids found exactly what they searched for using an internet search tool.

**Dreadclaw69**

kronk wrote:
I mean, this is a horrible story, and I'm sorry these kids found exactly what they searched for using an internet search tool

Clearly they weren't Bing users, so at least that's good news for Microsoft

**MeanGreenStompa**

kronk wrote:
Internet didn't exist when I was 13 or 15. I had to look at nudy books I found by the train tracks.

I'm pleased as punch to discover the lost art of hedgerow grumble was a transatlantic pursuit!

**kronk**

Your post in the other thread reminded me of my youth.

**djones520**

So... the kids were suitably messed up already that they wanted to view a real man off himself on tv, yet we're expected to believe that because it turned out to be there father they got so bad they couldn't even go back to school months later?

You know what? I know exactly what the problem here is. The family was fethed up to begin with.

**Monster Rain**

The "hedgerow grumble" is my new favorite phrase.

This story, though, only solidifies my hope to someday sterilize everyone and only allow people to breed when they prove themselves worthy. Heinlein style.

**kronk**

Monster Rain wrote:

This story, though, only solidifies my hope to someday sterilize everyone and only allow people to breed when they prove themselves worthy. Heinlein style.

I'd vote for you.

Actually, you're stealing my campaign platform!

**hotsauceman1**

Sigvatr wrote:
I want to send the "Mother of the Year" award to that lady.

13 and 15 year old browsing the internet on their own...yep.

I was browsing alone, No controls, thank god for tech illiterate parents
How else would I be jaded at 20?

**deathholydeath**

I love how they say Fox "aired" the clip. It wasn't (at least as far as this article shows) aired on television. The kids went and looked for it.
Just another parent looking to pawn off responsibility on someone else.

**Dreadclaw69**

deathholydeath wrote:
I love how they say Fox "aired" the clip. It wasn't (at least as far as this article shows) aired on television. The kids went and looked for it.
Just another parent looking to pawn off responsibility on someone else with deep pockets.

I think that may be slightly more accurate now

**kronk**

Careful, gentlemen. Are we sure we aren't, well, you know.

**deathholydeath**

Dreadclaw69 wrote:
deathholydeath wrote:
I love how they say Fox "aired" the clip. It wasn't (at least as far as this article shows) aired on television. The kids went and looked for it.
Just another parent looking to pawn off responsibility on someone else with deep pockets.

I think that may be slightly more accurate now

Most definitely. As much as I dislike Fox, I'm on their side on this one.

**Monster Rain**

kronk wrote:
Careful, gentlemen. Are we sure we aren't, well, you know.

I... erm... ahem...

I think we did.

**kronk**

Success.

**Dreadclaw69**

deathholydeath wrote:
Most definitely. As much as I dislike Fox, I'm on their side on this one.

Clearly it's Fox News's fault for the children finding the video on youtube, the original uploader had no responsibility

**Alfndrate**

Monster Rain wrote:
kronk wrote:
Careful, gentlemen. Are we sure we aren't, well, you know.

I... erm... ahem...

I think we did.

I'm lost D:

**djones520**

Alfndrate wrote:
Monster Rain wrote:
kronk wrote:
Careful, gentlemen. Are we sure we aren't, well, you know.

I... erm... ahem...

I think we did.

I'm lost D:

RACISM!

*shrugs*

**deathholydeath**

djones520 wrote:
Alfndrate wrote:
Monster Rain wrote:
kronk wrote:
Careful, gentlemen. Are we sure we aren't, well, you know.

I... erm... ahem...

I think we did.

I'm lost D:

RACISM!

*shrugs*

Is it a thing again?

**CptJake**

I wonder who Mommy would have sued if Daddy had capped himself at home and the kids found his body?

**Gentleman_Jellyfish**

CptJake wrote:
I wonder who Mommy would have sued if Daddy had capped himself at home and the kids found his body?

Her kids.