Ron Wilkins

rwilkins@jconline.com

DELPHI, Ind. — Rumors that police arrested a man in Kokomo for the Feb. 13 killings of 14-year-old Libby German and 13-year-old Abby Williams forced police to go to social media to declare the rumors are not true.

Investigators' response is a sign of how social media shrank our world seemingly overnight while giving voice for whomever has an opinion — be it reasoned or daft.

"A lot of what we see social media wise is simply two things," Carroll County Sheriff Tobe Leazenby said of the groundswell of posts about the girls' killings. "No. 1, I feel like people venting or offering their opinion. Then secondly, theories is a lot of what we’re offered.”

Theories are useless if people don't know the evidence, and since police have been tight lipped about the particulars of this case, posts on social media merely speculate what the person thinks might have happened, he said.

When German and Williams' bodies were found Feb. 14 on the north banks of the Deer Creek east of Delphi, Facebook posts understandably reflected the community's pain and anger — and its support for German and Williams' families.

It also became the place of unfounded and hurtful speculation.

"Unfortunately, in this case, I've seen where people are putting a photo next to our suspect's photo and saying, ‘Hey, this is the guy,' " Indiana State Police Sgt. Tony Slocum said.

"It's a dangerous game to post someone’s photo on a social media site and say, ‘That’s who the police arrested for double homicide.’ That’s not fair to them," Slocum said.

Not only is it a dangerous game, it potentially carries expensive consequences of a civil lawsuit.

"You're putting yourself in possible exposure when you falsely accuse somebody of a crime," said David L. Hudson Jr., an expert in First Amendment issues, who has published pieces on the subject of libel and slander.

“A lot of people think that online is a libel-free zone,” Hudson said during an interview with the Journal & Courier during a call to the First Amendment Center.

It isn't. In fact, lawsuits are exploding from allegations of online libel — the written defamation of a person, Hudson said, noting that falsely accusing a person of a crime typically is considered libel in all 50 states. Slander is the spoken defamation of a person.

What suggestion would Hudson give to social media posters?

“You don’t make false statements about people that would hurt their reputation,” Hudson said.

Slocum knows that people are trying to be helpful by publishing photos online of whom the poster thinks might be the suspect.

"That is a ... way that hurts the investigation and ruins the reputations of what might otherwise be good people,” he said.

Leazenby said he's received informal complaints from people who have had their photos plastered on social media with unfounded allegations attached to the picture. His counsel to them is that it is a civil matter, and they should consult an attorney, he said.

Meanwhile, the social media posts accomplish nothing.

Police don't have the manpower to monitor social media for possible tips, so Leazenby and Slocum both said a better use of the people's time is to call the information into the tip line — 844-459-5786 — or email it to investigators at abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.com

Online publishing through social media has its good and bad points, Hudson noted.

On one hand, everyone has the potential to be a citizen journalist. But on the other hand, these people don't know the pitfalls of how to responsibly report stories and avoid libel.

"With traditional media, there’s a traditional layer of editing; … there’s a filter,” Hudson said. "So much of what’s circulated (online) today is not vetted."

As for the free-for-all posts on Facebook and Twitter, Slocum said, "We don't want people being convicted in the court of public opinion.

"... If they have legitimate information, they can call us."

Police give a vague glimpse into Delphi investigation

McAfee, Irsay add $97,000 to reward in Delphi killings

J&C breaking news reporter Ron Wilkins can be reached at 765-420-5231; follow on Twitter @RonWilkins2

What you can do

Anonymous tips in the double homicide case of Liberty German and Abby Williams, who were eighth-graders at Delphi Community Middle School, may be sent to abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.com. The Delphi Murder Tip Line is at 844-459-5786.