Sunday, July 13, 2008

Chandra Levy

I just put down the first chapter in the Post's serial package on the 2001 disappearance and murder of Washington intern Chandra Levy. It was gripping. It held me through the last sentence, and I was frustrated the first day's chapter was so short -- generally, not a complaint of newspaper readers. I expect this will be another blockbuster Post narrative piece. But I wonder if there will be criticism, too. How many unsolved murder cases exist where the victim was a young, single woman in Washington? Five? Twenty? I hope the upcoming stories give readers a scope of the investigative challenges in all murder cases in DC, not just Levy's. 

Then again, our culture is drawn to celebrities. Like me, thousands of readers dropped everything this morning to read about Levy, who was dating a married congressman when she died. If that results in better crime scene tactics that benefit all victims, is that a bad outcome? 

The story ultimately resonated with me in a personal way. As a runner, I can't help but think of how frightened she must have been on the trail. After they found her in 2002, with a walkman nearby, I stopped listening to music when I ran outdoors alone. A newspaper can only do so much, but I hope the series is the beginning of justice for Levy, who should've had thousands of miles of running ahead of her. 




2 comments:

Joseph Graf said...

Has this series been as good as the first installment? I bypassed it, but might go back later and read it.

Kelly Morones said...

The first few days have been scene-setting, taking the reader back to 2001. I can't remember any shocking new details in Day 2, 3, or 4 -- but the writing is excellent, so it reads as if you're learning something new. From a PR perspective, the series demonstrates how often press secretaries are left out of the loop. Today's story contained quotes from Condit's spokesperson in 2001, denying the congressman's relationship with Levy was more than a friendship.