The October 9th issue of the Register is the last issue of the paper without an editor listed on the front page.
(That absence ends with the October 16th issue. On the masthead of the Register, on page 2, there is still a listing for a community editor, nowhere evident to me on the pages of the paper.)
Front Page. The front page features Whitewater’s 2008 homing coming events. It’s a sea of red, with banners, fans, boosters, and two whippets mascots. (Even the whippets are wearing red.)
Below the fold, there’s a story entitled, “Fairest if the Fair Stalker wins ‘Insanity Defense’ .” A Walworth County jury in early October found that defendant, Joseph G. Schraeder was under a mental disease or defect, as defined under Wisconsin law, at the time he encountered Sheri Nelson (a pageant winner).
Under our law, a person may be found to have committed the acts alleged under an offense, but through a mental condition may be found not guilty of those acts. Even though a jury may find the defendant not guilty on this basis, severe mental disorder often lead to placement in a psychiatric facility.
Very few people, in any state that has a legal provision like this, are found not guilty by reason of a mental condition. There are two reasons for this – (1) juries are reluctant to so find, and (2) clear cases involving an established diagnosis are resolved though psychiatric commitment before a criminal trial.
There are always victims in these cases – those who are tormented with letters or visits from someone, speaking incoherently or making odd declarations – have every reason for concern.
As long as the person has been identified correctly, the question is usually whether to commit someone to a psychiatric or criminal institution. Jurors from the community heard the testimony in the case. Juries are often resistant to these defenses, and if they found it applicable in this case, one can presume its application was easily sensible to them.
Whether this resolution might have been reached without trial, one cannot say.
Inside, Ownership. One finds inside a traditional “Statement of Ownership, Managent, and Circulation,” on page 2. The publisher, editor, managing editor, and the headquarters of the Southern Lakes chain’s Whitewater Register all list offices in Burlington.
By contrast, I live in Whitewater, and have only driven through Burlington a few times when I got lost trying to reach another destination. I have no idea what goes on there, although I’ve heard it’s a land of milk and honey, streets paved with gold, where publishers are committed to serious, unbiased, conflict-free journalism without favoritism toward career appointees and incumbent politicians.
Who knows?
Inside, Circulation. Over the last twelve months, the paper reports average total paid and/or requested circulation of 1093 copies per week. In-country paid subscriptions amount to 577, and sales through vendors, etc., amount to 289. We are a city of no less than 14,296 residents.
A number of copies are distributed without charge, although, remarkably, I must not be on the list for one of those copies.