June 18, 2000

Ms. Cobbs
Ann Arbor News
340 E. Huron
P.O. Box 1147
Ann Arbor, MI 48106

I have been following your articles re the Ikuma situation and their dog Ato.

I have spent some time reviewing this entire matter including Ato’s background, Michigan law, and the most interesting Goodridge-Newton/Parke Davis-Ann Arbor connection.

My mother was a journalist in Chicago.  As a result, I grew up in that environment and learned early on what makes good journalism.  Your articles do not.  You fail to give readers the whole truth.  You omit crucial facts.
You are attempting to mold public opinion against both the dog and his owners.

One wonders why you don’t give readers ALL the facts of this case.  Perhaps you have been ordered not to do so by your publisher.  After all, Parke-Davis is a big employer in Ann Arbor and Mr. Newton holds a responsible position there.  It appears clout is more important to the News then responsible  journalism.  What a surprise.

One wonders, for instance, why you skewed your stories in favor of the "poor" newsboy when this fellow is both a liar and a lawbreaker?  The boy had openly admitted he entered the Ikuma’s home – that’s trespassing, Ms.Cobbs.  But, then, he changed his story saying he only opened the door.  One way or another, the kid lied.  Could it be the father coached Alex to lie?
Perhaps, because of the lawsuit the family had filed – that netted them a handsome $51,000?  A lawsuit they could not have won had there been any wrongdoing on the part of the boy?  A lawsuit you failed to bring to the attention of readers.

As for Ato’s previous bites – one provoked by a trainer, the other to the hand of a woman who stupidly stuck her hand in the car in which Ato was sitting.  Ms. Cobbs, even you should know only a fool would walk up to a car with a dog in it and stick one’s hand in.  Try it.  The dog was doing what he was supposed to do – guarding his property as he was doing when Newton entered his home.

What if Newton had been a rapist?  Ato would be a hero.  What if the woman had been attempting to steal something from the car?  Ato would be a hero.
But, because Ann Arbor is so right-wing, prone to discrimination, and seeped in biased politics, you all decided to make sure the dog would die.

Were you a professional writer and had brought up these important and situation-changing points you would have exposed the judge as being the unreasonable, vindictive, good-ol-girl it’s clear she is.  I realize, however, you may be under orders from your editor to slant your work.  The News seems loathe to expose the whole truth to the extent of publishing only an occasional letter of support for Ato while happy to print those against he and his family.

Further, why have you not pointed out that while the jury found the Ikuma’s not guilty of knowingly and intentionally harboring a vicious dog (thus, the dog was found not to be vicious) the city and good-ol-girl quasi-judge Goodridge disregarded the jury finding and arrogantly pushed ahead for the dogs execution – citing an outdated Michigan law as support.  Why have you not printed the URL to the website on this case?

Have you mentioned that the Ikuma’s have had their home damaged recently by vandals – vandals who, no doubt, have been reading your one-sided account and believe the Ikuma’s to be stubborn vicious people – as well as Japanese?

Adolph Ochs, founder and publisher of the New York Times once said if you can’t print all the facts – don’t do the story.  You have heard of the New York times.

I wonder if Ochs ever considered there would be yellow journalists, incompetent and corrupt publishers and just plain stupid reporters.  You people just wouldn’t understand.

One hopes other media throughout Michigan WILL publish the entire story and show citizens what an unreliable rag the News really is.

Dr. Robert Nixon
5649 W Kennedy
Peotone, IL 60468