Name: Julie Ar E.
Sibala
Course/Section: BA Communication/COM2
Subject: Journalism: Principles and Practices
Teacher: John Rey Aleria
INSTRUCTIONS: Write only a lead for each of the following stories. You can use any
style of the lead as discussed in our lesson.
1. Thomas C. Ahl appeared in Circuit Court today. He pleaded guilty last week to
robbing and murdering two restaurant employees. In return for pleading guilty
prosecutors promised not to seek the death penalty. He was sentenced today. Ahl is 24
years old, and the judge sentenced him to two life terms, plus 300 years. It is the
longest sentence ever given to anyone in your state. Ahl will be 89 before he can be
considered for parole. The judge explained that Ahl had a long history of violence and
brutality and that the public deserved to be protected from him. There had been no
reason for him to shotgun the two employees to death. Ahl himself admitted that they
had not resisted him in any way.
A. 5Ws & 1H
What: Longest sentence ever
When: Today
Where: Circuit Court
Who: Thomas C. Ahl
Why: Robbing and killing two restaurant employees
How: Ahl used a shotgun
B. Lead (Primary and Supporting Lead)
Thomas C. Ahl received the longest sentence ever given in the state today after
pleading guilty to the robbery and murder of two restaurant employees.
Ahl, 24, was sentenced to two life terms plus 300 years, and will not be eligible
for parole until he is 89 years old. The Circuit Court judge who sentenced him explained
that he had a long history of violence and brutality and that the public deserved to be
protected from him.
2. A 19-year-old shoplifting suspect died last Saturday. Police identified him as Timothy
Milan. He lived at 1112 Huron Avenue and was employed as a cook at a restaurant in
the city. A guard at Panzer's Department Store told police he saw Milan stuff 2 sweaters
down his pants legs, then walk past a checkout line and out of the department store.
The guard then began to chase Milan, who ran, and 3 bystanders joined in the pursuit.
They caught up with Milan, and, when he resisted, one of the bystanders applied a
headlock to him. A police officer who arrived at the scene reported that Milan collapsed
as he put handcuffs on him. An autopsy conducted to determine the cause of death
revealed that Milan died due to a lack of oxygen to the brain. Police today said they do
not plan to charge anyone involved in the case with a crime because it "was a case of
excusable homicide." The police said the bystanders did not mean to injure Milan or to
kill him, but that he was fighting violently—punching and kicking at his captors and even
trying to bite them—and that they were simply trying to restrain him and trying to help
capture a suspected criminal, "which is just being a good citizen."
A. 5Ws & 1H
What: A Shoplifter caught dead
When: Saturday
Where: Panzer’s Department Store
Who: Timothy Milan, age 19
Why: Due to lack of oxygen to the brain
How: The boy stole 2 sweaters and was caught by the on-duty guard. Later, the
bystanders joined in the pursuit and caught Milan. One of the bystander's headlock the
boy because he resisted being caught.
B. Lead (Primary and Supporting Lead)
A boy of age 19 died after running off 2 sweaters at Panzer’s Department store
last Saturday. He was identified as Timothy Milan who was a cook in one of the
restaurants in the city.
An on-duty guard caught the shoplifter and began to chase the boy. Later, the
guard was joined by 3 civilians in arresting the thief. They caught up Milan and fought
back when he was arrested. Then one of the civilians applied a headlock that made
Milan passed away. According to the autopsy result conducted by the local police, the
victim died due to the lack of oxygen to his brain. The police will not sue the bystander
who beat Milan because it was a case of excusable homicide. “…they were simply
trying to restrain him and trying to help capture a suspected criminal, which is just being
a good citizen," they added.
3. Several English teachers at your city's junior and senior high schools require their
students to read the controversial book, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." The
book was written by Mark Twain. Critics, including some parents, said last week that the
book should be banned from all schools in the city because it is racist. After considering
their complaints and discussing them with his staff, the superintendent of schools, Gary
Hubbard, announced today that teachers will be allowed to require reading the book in
high school English classes but not in any junior high school classes. Furthermore, the
superintendent said that it will be the responsibility of the high school teachers who
assign the book to assist students in understanding the historical setting of the book, the
characters being depicted, and the social context, including the prejudices which existed
at the time depicted in the book. Although the book can no longer be used in any junior
high school classes, the school superintendent said it will remain available in junior and
senior high school libraries for students who want to read it voluntarily. The book
describes the adventures of runaway Huck Finn and a fugitive slave named Jim as they
float on a raft down the Mississippi River.
A. 5Ws & 1H
What: Banning of the book “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
When: Last week
Where: City
Who: Parents
Why: The book’s content is racist
How: Parents raise complaints with school staff and superintendents.
B. Lead (Primary and Supporting Lead)
Parents of the student of the city’s junior-senior high school requested to ban the
book of Mark Twain entitled “The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn” last week for depicting
racism in its content.
After considering complaints and discussing them with the school’s staff and
school’s superintendent Garry Hubbard, the book will be allowed only in high school
classes but not in any junior high school classes. However, the high school teachers will
assist the students in understanding the content of the said book.
Although the book can no longer be read in any junior high school classes, it will
remain available in their school libraries for students who want to read it voluntarily.
4. The Department of Justice, as it often does, conducted a crime-related survey. It
questioned long-term prisoners. It found that new laws limiting the ownership of guns do
not discourage handgun ownership by career criminals. The report concludes, however,
that even though curbs on legitimate retail sales of guns have failed to attain the goal of
keeping weapons out of the hands of criminals, the laws still may serve other useful
functions. The report explains that criminals get their weapons most often by theft or
under-the-counter deals. The department surveyed 1,874 men serving time for felonies
in 11 state prisons and found that 75 percent said they would expect little or no trouble if
they tried to get a handgun after their release from prison. Fifty-seven percent had
owned a handgun at the time of their arrest. Thirty-two percent of their guns had been
stolen, 26 percent acquired in black market deals, and others received as gifts from
family and friends. Only 21 percent had been bought through legitimate retail outlets.
A. 5Ws & 1H
What: Rise of under-the-counter deals of guns
When:
Where: State Prisons
Who: Department of Justice
Why: For law reinforcement
How: Through a survey
B. Lead (Primary and Supporting Lead)
A rise of under-the-counter deals of guns has been revealed in the recent crime-
related survey of the Department of Justice despite the new limiting ownership law.
The said survey was participated by 1,874 long-term prisoners in the 11 states
The results show that 75 percent of the prisoners could obtain a gun hustle free after
their release. 57 percent had owned a handgun at the time of their arrest. Thirty-two
percent of their guns had been stolen, 26 percent acquired in black market deals while
others received as gifts from family and friends. Only 21 percent had been bought a gun
through legitimate retail outlets.
5. An article appeared today in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The
article concerns the dangers of hot dogs. "If you were trying to design something that
would be perfect to block a child's airway, it would be a bite-size piece of hot dog," says
a researcher. He concluded that children under 4 should "never be given a whole hot
dog to eat," and that hot dogs should never be cut crosswise. The hot dogs are so
dangerous that every five days, it is estimated, someone, somewhere in the United
States, chokes to death on them. Other risky foods for young kids up to 9 years of age
include candy, nuts, grapes, apples, carrots, and popcorn.
A. 5Ws & 1H
What: hot dogs, candy, nuts, grapes, apples, carrots, and popcorn
When: Today
Where: United States
Who: American Medical Association
Why: choking hazards for children
How: A bit-size piece of hotdog can block a child’s airway.
B. Lead (Primary and Supporting Lead)
What do hot dogs, candy, nuts, grapes, apples, carrots, and popcorn all have in
common? Well, they are choking hazards for children.
According to the American Medical Association that hot dogs are so dangerous
that every five days, it is estimated, someone, somewhere in the United States, chokes
to death on them. "If you were trying to design something that would be perfect to block
a child's airway, it would be a bite-size piece of hot dog," says a researcher.
They encourage the parents to avoid giving their children specifically of 4 years
of age a whole a hot or even cutting them crosswise to be eaten.
