Internet newspaper continues to be excluded from PIO releases
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Rayshard L. Mitchell was gunned down Saturday night in the 600 block of Verdell Street. Anyone with information on the homicide is asked to call DBPD Detective Bridget Hayden at 386-671-5263 or Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida at 1-888-277-TIPS.DAYTONA BEACH -- The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that Daytona Beach police have publicly released the name of the young man shot to death over the weekend, but Headline Surfer has not been given any press release information on the homicide identifying the victim.
The Sentinel said police have "publicly identified the 23-year-old man shot to death in the 600 block of Verdell Street as 23-year-old Rayshard L. Mitchell found dead at the scene when police responded to a call from a bystander who heard the shot and ran out to find the collapsed victim.
The murder is the latest in a series of high profile breaking news or police suppression operations for which Headline Surfer, the New Smyrna Beach-based Internet newspaper has been excluded from press releases sent to local media outlets. They include the recent arrest of a suspected serial burglar and a series of prostitution-related stings.
Headline Surfer has asked the police why the Internet newspaper has been excluded from press releases and police reports, but voice mail and e-mail messages left with Police Chief Michael Chitwood and his public information officer, Jimmy Flynt, and the back-up PIO, John Creamer. But those inquiries have gone unanswered. The Internet newspaper asked if there was a possible technical reason for the omissions, but has been given no response.
A return receipt e-mail showed PIO Creamer opened Headline Surfer's e-mail Monday night requesting release of the homicide victim's name, but the information was not released. Headline Surfer also asked for the incident report, the initial paperwork on the case that is public record.
The police department issued a press release Saturday night to media outlets following the breaking news, but Headline Surfer wasn't included. It wasn't until Sunday night and several calls to the police department that Creamer e-mailed the day-old press release.
Headline Surfer's relationship with Chitwood soured after the the Internet newspaper published an investigative story in the spring on his promotion of Jim Newcomb to captain from lieutenant despite alleged past mistreatment of women cops under his command. The story received two awards from the Florida Press Club last month.
Headline Surfer's relationship with Chitwood soured after the the Internet newspaper published an investigative story in the spring on his promotion of Jim Newcomb to captain from lieutenant despite alleged past mistreatment of women cops under his command. The story received two awards from the Florida Press Club last month.
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Link: http://nsbnews.net/content/410670-derrick-henry-sworn-mayor-daytona-beach