Letter to the editor: Reporting on sheriff questionable

What is the motivation for the Tribune-Review having four articles in eight days about Republican Westmoreland County Sheriff Jonathan Held facing another trial for charges regarding questionable campaign actions?

Why did the Tribune-Review find it necessary to report that the sheriff’s sons, who are minors and living with his former wife in another state, have had criminal charges filed against them (“Teen sons of Westmoreland sheriff charged with armed robbery, grand theft in Florida,” Dec. 27, TribLIVE)? The article included their names. It has been my observation that newspapers and television newscasts do not normally use the names of minors who are charged.

Any motivation for this reporting other than a political smear campaign is hard to imagine. What other purpose would it serve? Isn’t there to be the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in America, or does that presumption only apply to Democrats?

Sheila Krill

Murrysville