48 Hours Mysteries

Anyone who may want to know about what I work on, may want to tune in the CBS on January 30th at 10 p.m. I may be very briefly (blink and you will miss it) visible in the later portion of the show. The Sam Parker murder trial was covered by our local media, along with catching the attention of national news like Greta Van Susteren and Nancy Grace (Judy covered it too, Mom!) while the case was unfolding back in March 2007. I am the only person at our paper that has covered the case since it started, predominantly in multimedia.

In the event you do see me for the four seconds or so I might be up there. I may not be in the most flattering of light, since the 48 Hours crew covers how other media deal with the story. The angle of the above photo would lead me to believe that they focused on the half dozen reporters that were flanking the mother of Teresa Parker following the verdict. Could wind up looking like a bit of a paparazzi, but I hope not.

My experience during the trial was tedious, time-consuming, and hectic at moments, leaving you physically drained after the first few days. My compassion for the family was more consciously apparent in the earlier phase of the case when there was a search going on. Seeing family members blindsided by grief and shock of what they are having to contend with is challenging. Even the media conveys thoughts of hope and prayers, while the family is inundated with cameras and interviews. The trial phase of this case, my only experience like this, brings about different sentiments. You see the family members and hope they do their best before the jury and judge. "Give em Hell in there" I guess would be the phrase if one dared to say it.

I have been around the courts for numerous other cases, not having been around for the original occurrences. A DUI homicide case when I first started comes to mind, because of the sobbing by friends and family, and the