On Saturday, CNN was true to form in showing more interest in stories that reflect negatively on how police officers do their jobs while ignoring those that show law enforcement work sympathetically. After ignoring two cases of attacks on law enforcement that were covered by other networks, CNN did find time today to run two reports on video showing a Miami cop kicking a suspect in the head after he had already surrendered.
Similarly, CNN was also among the networks that ignored the Sacramento County autopsy report this week which bolsters the cops in the Stephon Clark shooting and disputes a private autopsy that accused the police of mostly shooting him the back.
On Saturday, the morning newscasts on ABC, NBC and FNC all ran reports updating viewers on the manhunt for any Chicago gang members responsible for shooting an ATF agent in the face, with ABC's World News Tonight also running an update. There was also a new story about an Indiana police officer who was killed in a shootout which was covered on CBS, NBC, and FNC morning shows, and also on the CBS Weekend News in the evening. NBC Nightly News did not air due to the Kentucky Derby and Pittsburgh Penguins-Washington Capitals match in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
CNN's New Day Saturday ignored those stories, but did run a complete report of almost two minutes at 7:40 a.m. Eastern on the Miami video showing a Hispanic officer kicking a black man. The same report, by CNN correspondent Rosa Flores, was shown again at 11:52 a.m. on CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield, and for a third time at 6:43 p.m on Sunday's CNN Newsroom with Ana Cabrera.
New Day Saturday co-anchor Victor Blackwell set up the report: "A Miami police officer has been suspended after he was caught kicking a suspect in the head. Now, the suspect was in handcuffs on the ground. CNN's Rosa Flores has the story, and, a warning here, the video is disturbing."
On Friday, CNN had devoted a mere 21 seconds on Early Start at 5:59 a.m. to the attack on an ATF agent and did not follow through with updates on New Day or other shows as promised.
