On Thursday, when I published my story about Jackson Detwiler’s arrest, I expected it to spark conversation, but not in this way. The volume and nature of the concern that followed made it clear that I owed readers an explanation.
The incident that prompted this story happened on FAU’s Boca Raton campus. Florida Atlantic University’s Police Department recorded that Detwiler operated a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol on Volusia Street and University Drive; being that it is the intersection next to the library and Parking Garage 1, these are the same streets where students walk at night back to their dorms, ride their bikes, and drive home from late classes.
That is a campus safety matter, and it is one of the most important issues for a student publication to report on. The charges: DUI, reckless driving, and refusal to submit to testing, are serious; they are also public records.
The court scheduled his hearing for Thursday, Feb. 19, at 8:30 a.m., and my story was published the same day, 12 hours later, at exactly 8:27 p.m. I intentionally waited until his court hearing was finalized, just in case the accusations were dropped, which they were not.
Before publishing, we verified the details through official arrest records linked throughout the story. We reached out to Detwiler via social media for comment before the story went live. We reported what the records showed and nothing more; these are the same standards we apply to any story.
The UP covers any news relevant to FAU, and this case was no different. This story, which we published at the beginning of the fall, talks about a student facing an animal cruelty charge. This one talks about a drug trafficking deal gone wrong. This one shows reckless driving, and this one shows someone on campus committing voyeurism; this is its follow-up.
If you notice while reading these, not all of them are students at FAU; they are locals who were arrested on FAU’s campus, showing a relevance for us to report.
Of course, there are multiple instances and reports filed every day on the police blotter. Rightfully so, arrests of any kind are newsworthy, just as the arrests shared on local news channels every day are.
Others raised the principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty.’ We reported that the court charged Detwiler, not that he was guilty, not that his character is defined by this moment; the legal process will determine the outcome. Our job is to report on what happened, not to render a verdict.
The cover photo used was also public record on the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office website. I understand why it felt inappropriate to some readers, and I take that feedback seriously.
The decision to publish was mine, and I stand by it. Still, I also recognize that transparency about that process matters, and I appreciate the readers who held us to it. Please feel free to check the editorial policy available on our website.
The University Press will continue to cover incidents that affect the safety and well-being of our campus communities. Regardless of whether a story is “easy” to publish, the stories that are hardest to publish are often the ones that matter most.
Angelina Martell is the Editor-in-Chief for the University Press. Email her at [email protected] for more information on this and other stories.
