NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) – Police departments in Virginia have stopped automatically releasing the names of juvenile homicide victims because of a new state law. The Daily Press in Newport News reported Monday that police now need written permission from families. The lawmaker who sponsored the bill said it protects the privacy of victim’s families. Del. Jackson Miller, a Republican from Manassas, said the bill was inspired by a Fairfax County woman whose husband had killed their 2-year-old daughter and then himself. Police released her daughter’s name against her wishes. But Betsy Edwards, executive director of the Virginia Press Association, said the new law will make it harder for the media to tell the full story of a violent crime. The coverage can bring awareness to such issues as family abuse or children with guns.
