Christmas tends to be a sleepy time for news. Local media outlets, strapped for stories, fall back on a formula that highlights the do-gooders giving out meals or gifts, praying that some quirky thing — like the president undermining Santa on a call with a kid — will come up. A few days day after the holiday, there will be countless reports on where you can dump your tree.
Here's to The Detroit News for breaking up the monotony.
The outlet sent reporter Francis X. Donnelly to court on Christmas morning, to deliver a dispatch on those who received a lump of coal.
For those who had been here before, it was just another day. For others, it was the worst day of their lives on what should have been the most festive day of the year.
“I feel bad, really bad,” said Melissa Stalnaker, 22, who sat in the court waiting for her mom’s case to be called.
Instead of tinsel and garland, a sign at the courthouse door informed visitors that, by entering the building, they gave “implied consent” to be searched. Another sign prohibited 26 items, including corkscrews and spurs.
It was less "A Christmas Carol" and more "Oliver Twist."
Donnelly details the cases of those who went before the magistrate, brightening what would in fact be a quite boring court story if it weren't for his writing. Check out the full report here.
