Murder porn
Sex and death, death and sex. It's irresistible to the tabloids - which is why the Meredith Kercher murder case has attracted such huge attention. But I wonder, is there a line that's being crossed?
Have a look at this juxtaposition from Roger Alton's Indie:
Love, sex, masks, kinky stuff... and then murder. And a picture of Amanda Knox, who is going on trial for the crime. Does this photo of an attractive young woman, combined with the crime she is accused of, strike some sort of weird chord with people? Is this really all about the crime itself, or is there some deeper, more unpleasant murder/porn interface going on here? Why all the fuss about a crime over in Italy? Murders take place all the time. Most that aren't murder of family members or for money have something rooted in sex somewhere along the way - so why is this so special? Why all the interest? Is it simply the English Rose face of Knox that gets editors into a frenzy? I find it all a little bit perturbing.
But not as bad as the Mail, obviously. I mean, you knew that.
Ew. I mean, ew.
Did you kill her? Foxy Knoxy is quizzed in court face-to-face with family of murdered British student Meredith Kercher
Where the fuck does this 'Foxy Knoxy' come from? Did she commit a murder-wurder while reading My Booky Wook? Why this babyish language towards a crime suspect? If Amanda Knox had been dark-skinned I doubt the Mail would have called her 'Foxy', would they?
In her first public appearance in almost a year, Knox, 21, dressed in a white lace- edged blouse and blue jeans, was escorted into the courtroom in Perugia, northern Italy.
Just in case you missed that description of her clothes, there is a giant photo of Knox to wank over examine for evidence of guilt or otherwise.
Flanked by two women prison guards, Knox - nicknamed Foxy Knoxy - showed no emotion, even when a journalist shouted out: 'Did you do it Amanda?'
Nicknamed by whom? Do nicknames matter in criminal trials nowadays? And a good attempt to try and get her to fess up: many's the time a suspect has turned to a shouty hack and said: "Yeah, I did do it actu...oh bugger".
Although charges against the three were revealed yesterday, the Kercher family was spared the details of how Leeds University student Meredith was killed.
Phew. Thank goodness for that...oh.
The 21-year-old was found semi-naked and with her throat cut in the Perugia student flat she shared with Knox last November.
Ew. Just ew. This whole business is rather sordid and unpleasant. Can we stop with these masturbatory references to 'Foxy Knoxy' and giant pictures of her? Can we just find out whether she did it or not?
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September 17th, 2008 - 12:15
Amanda Knox called herself “Foxy Knoxy” on her myspace — something that was reported with glee at the time. So it isn’t the Mail’s own nomenclature, thank fuck.
But yeah — she’s about to become another Myra Hindley (if she’s found guilty, and probably even if she’s not). Thanks, Daily Mail.
Oh, and great blog by the way. It brings no end of relief after reading Biased-BBC.
September 17th, 2008 - 12:59
ITV had a ‘documentary’ on late the other night with ‘Foxy Knoxy’ a central part of the title. I wasn’t that shocked that tabloid TV had decided to use the promise of sexual titillation to sell coverage of a current trial, but I wish that I had been.
September 17th, 2008 - 13:07
All true, of course, although in the interests of balance it should be pointed out that television can be just as bad as the tabloids. I first noticed the term Foxy Knoxy on Monday as “Foxy Knoxy on trial” was that day’s edition of that bastion of investigative journalism “Tonight” on ITV. And the telly can’t get enough of that voyeuristic video of Knox and her boyfriend / co-accused kissing; it seems obligatory to show it whenever the case is referred to.
September 17th, 2008 - 18:36
Worth remembering that the Mail has already judged dear Foxy Knoxy in one of the most vile pieces of “journalism” I’ve come across:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-498853/The-wild-raunchy-past-Foxy-Knoxy.html
September 17th, 2008 - 20:48
I found myself thinking a very similar thing when I unfortunately stumbled across these two articles in The Mail:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1017806/SEX-SLAVE-DUNGEON-Father-bought-skimpy-underwear-captive-daughter.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1057271/First-pictures-sisters-hacked-pieces-luxury-party-flat.html
There seems to be some peverse pleasure for some journalists in recounting some of the very worst sexual details in murder cases. You can’t help but read them and, as you say in your post, just think ‘Ew’. There is simply no reason to report details such as the underwear that Elizabeth Fritzl was forced to wear or to publish images of the murdered Algerian sisters in the most voluptuous possible pictures.
I dislike resorting to the kind of hyperbole regularly employed by The Mail, but I truly find this kind of reporting sickening. As for the ‘Foxy’ thing – why give a nickname to a suspected murderer? It trivialises the case and positions Knox as some kind of loveable rogue who just made a mistake. She’s English after all, so she can’t be that bad right?
Ew.
September 17th, 2008 - 21:16
Foxy Knoxy on Trial. That’s the show. I thought it was some godawful celebrity reality show, some kind of piss poor mash-up of Turn Back Time and This is Your Life. When I pressed the ‘info’ button I realised it was much, much worse.