We reported both facts, the fact that she was highlighted on David Letterman and that her case was progressing through the courts.
Our Facebook fans have a lot to say about it, and it's a worthwhile discussion.
I'm torn because I know we have a duty to report such things, and we reported on this more than the "normal DWI" because Annie was a "public figure."
Whether you agree she should be held up to more scrutiny because of her role in the media is debatable, or just because she was on Letterman, her case is more newsworthy.
Ultimately, we ask ourselves: Would the majority of our readers want to know this? This answer for me has been "Yes."
Having said that, our fans have many legitimate points about the case. We may be hurting her more by publicizing this unfortunate event and this may make her getting help more difficult and painful. Many of us personally hope she does get help and we support her in that way.
It sometimes comes down to "news is news." It isn't always easy not to hurt people by publishing stories of public interest and importance.
Here's are the 24 Facebook comments we got on the latest story. You can find our Facebook Page here.
- Keith Michels she will most likely slide by like the mayor brady and officer baker, water under the bridge.
Yesterday at 8:09am · ·
1 
Katie Jo Lynette George But if it were you or me, we would get the worst...
Yesterday at 8:19am · · 4
Connie Darko I don't know about Baker, but Brady didn't "slide by." He got the same type of sentence as any other first-time DWI offender -- a fine, probation and community service, plus about $700 in DL reinstatement fees if he wants to drive again, plus the $130 chemical assessment fee, plus probably much higher insurance rates, plus attorney's fees, and on and on.
Sentencing guidelines are at the link below, but note they don't kick in until the second offense -- and even repeat offenders are only subject to two days in jail the first time around. What more did you expect? Public lashing?
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/ hrd/pubs/dwiover.pdf
Yesterday at 8:23am · · 1
Charlie Hurd Just an FYI, it was Brady's second DWI, but the first was long enough in the past that the judge didn't take it into consideration.
Yesterday at 8:31am · · 2
Connie Darko Okay, but even had that been a factor he was only looking at a couple days in jail and community service. Not much difference even if it had been considered. Some people seem to think he should have been crucified. I'm not excusing drunk driving for any person under any circumstance but simply suggesting that sentencing guidelines are there for a reason. I'm tired of the know-nothings who act like Brady got off easier than anyone else in that situation. I don't know if these people are ignorant of the law, if they think that some people should be treated more harshly simply because of who they are, or if they are so far out of touch with reality that they honestly believe that first-time (or even second-time) drunk drivers get sent to prison rather than being given a slap on the wrist and a fine (which is the reality when other factors such as injuries or death aren't involved).
Yesterday at 8:45am ·
Jeremiah Devlaeminck See cough meds my ass hows treatment treating ya annie LMAO
Yesterday at 9:21am · · 2
Missy Richards Too bad there aren't more people being supportive and trying to help this girl rather than poking fun at her. Alcoholism is a disease, and she needs all the help she can get.
Yesterday at 9:56am ·
Nathaniel Reynolds @ missy as someone who has been there I can tell you an alcoholic can't be helped until they want help. I have always said this whole thing would have played out differently if she and keyc had been honest from the very beginning instead of playing us all for fools. That being said I hope she. An admit her problem and get some help
Yesterday at 10:13am · · 4
Connie Darko Nathaniel, for what it's worth I think KEYC is an innocent victim in this. They believed what she told them at the time and apparently pulled her off the air (during the broadcast) as soon as they realized there was a problem. The station gets a black eye from this when they did nothing wrong except apparently believing Stensrud in the first place -- the benefit of the doubt I'd hope any one of us got from our respective employer.
Yesterday at 10:30am ·
Lisa Nachreiner Fischer Really? Does this have to be reported like this. What about all the other dwi offenders...you dont see their faces plastered in the paper. This upsets me and I feel bad for her. thumbs down to the free press on this one.
Yesterday at 10:50am · · 3
Nathaniel Reynolds @lisa if she doesnt want her picture on the front page for her DUI she shouldnt have become a tv personality. @Connie, I dont believe KEYC was innocent in it but my bigger issue was with the manager making a statement on air that it is basically our fault for for how we interpreted the situation. I know intoxicated when I see it and that was intoxicated. If they wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt then make a statement Monday saying they are sorry etc etc they will get to the bottom of it etc. Not wait nearly a week and then wag your finger at the public and craigslist. Of course that gets to the root of the problem KEYC believes everyone in the viewing area is 80 years old.
Yesterday at 11:00am ·
Connie Darko Nathaniel, would you want your employer hashing out your private personnel issues in public?
Yesterday at 12:19pm · · 1
Katie Jo Lynette George Sadly Connie some employers do because they make it their business. Even if it isn't
Yesterday at 1:03pm · · 1
Nathaniel Reynolds It's not like she worked at wal Mary she is a public media figure who chose to do her job drunk. I don't think it's her employer that aired her issues
Yesterday at 1:11pm ·
Connie Darko Wherever she made her mistake -- and don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not defending her! -- the bottom line as far as that goes is that it is a private matter between her and the station. It boggles my mind that you seem to think they should devote more on-air time to detailing how they're handling this private matter. That's vulture mentality that doesn't say much about your character, to be quite frank. The station is handling the bad situation they were given with professionalism.
Yesterday at 1:30pm · · 3
Nathaniel Reynolds @ you have obviously misunderstood my point I don't care if they dedicate one more minute to her my point is when they chose to make a statement the very first time they should have been honest and forthcoming and none of this would have become an issue instead they told us we didn't see what we saw and we were all getting carried away on that darned interweb. Honesty will almost always make a problem go away if it is at the beginning and not the end just look at former pres Clinton or Rep Weiner. I just don't like being lied to. Be an adult and own up to your mistakes.
23 hours ago · · 1
Robert John Kolbe Mankato was founded by drunks we have a street named balcerzak.
22 hours ago · · 4
Connie Darko And what I'm saying is that they (the station, probably not Stensrud) is that they WERE being honest given the information they knew at the time. They took her at her word that it was a drug reaction and not just staggering drunkenness, and they made a statement based on that. Beyond that initial statement, made in good faith, they owe no further explanation to the public. It's a personnel matter. Stensrud probably lied to you, but don't blame the station for that. As I said, in my opinion they did the best they could with the information they had available. If they were misled, that was not KEYC's fault because they are neither medical professionals nor law enforcement officials trained with making a judgment as to whether she was drunk or adversely medicated -- nor is it our business either way.
I can't find any place where KEYC actually says anything one way or another about the cause of the event. Stensrud blamed meds in this statement (her own, not the station's):
http://www.keyc.tv/story/16223596/ annie-stensrud-makes-first- statement
KEYC's official (and only) statement said nothing about the cause:
http://www.keyc.tv/story/16213718/ keyc-statement-regarding-12 411-newscast
Do you still think KEYC lied to you?
22 hours ago · · 1
Connie Darko The only other comment I can find where KEYC makes any mention of cause is a paraphrase in this Free Press article:
http://mankatofreepress.com/local/ x91294119/ KEYC-weekend-anchors-broadc ast-captures-national-atte ntion
"Dan Ruiter, KEYC news director, said viewers are jumping to conclusions if they assume Stensrud was intoxicated. There is no proof of that, he said." I don't see any lies in that. In fact, it seems utterly factual. It doesn't say whether she was or wasn't drunk, simply that there's no proof either way. And that's a fact, Jack, and I don't think any of us wants a TV station reporting conjecture (such as whether she was or wasn't drunk on-air) as fact.
22 hours ago ·
Mary Mabee Peterson KEYC did NOt say she was on medication, they said that MAY HAVE BEEN THE REASON. And until it was proven otherwise, I thought that was very admirable of them.
20 hours ago ·
Keith Michels for those that forgot bakers one that crash his car while drunk and used his badge to cover it up as for brady he crashed in to 2 cars open bottle and got off easy!
19 hours ago ·
I hate to admit that I too was curious & wanted to know. That's the darker side of human nature. But I hope now that she uses this to get the help she needs & turns it into something positive by talking to other people who may benefit from her mistakes. A lot of people cannot handle alcohol, & sadly you may not know it until after it has become a problem for you. I hope & pray she gets the help she needs, & turns it to work for good.
ReplyDeleteFor me, it was hard to read some of the comments people had said on facebook about her and everyone who judged her. I don't know any perfect person. We have no idea what is happening in her life. We have no idea if something bad happened to her. People turn to alcohol for various reasons. Some people self-medicate. I sense there is something much deeper going on in her life. I hope she gets the help she needs. I believe she will get better and turn her life around.
ReplyDeleteI am sure there are people who judged her on facebook who have driven drunk before, but they just never got busted for it or probably wouldn't admit to their poor decisions.
I can openly say that I drove drunk once a few years ago. I didn't feel good about it. That is the truth. I drove very slowly and stayed at my friend's house. I never did it again. I should have known better. I am not proud of it. I made a poor choice. I got me and my friend home safely. But, we talked about it when we sobered up and I wish we would have taken a sober cab. Sometimes when we are under the influence of a drug, we don't always make the right choices. Sometimes we get into the mindset that nothing bad could happen. But, bad things do happen.
MY advice is when you are under the influence of alcohol or high off any type of a drug, PLEASE take a sober cab. It is not worth risking your life or putting others in danger. It just takes that one time that could kill you or someone else or severely injure yourself or someone.