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Mahato, Carson cases marked by uneven responses Race, sex may affect news coverage of 2 murders by
Vigil highlights lower-key reaction to Mahato death
Chelsea Allison
by
Shuchi Parikh
THE CHRONICLE
THE CHRONICLE
The morning of March 7, the announceUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student body president’s murder gave newswatchers around the nation pause. The death of senior Eve Carson received far-reaching news coverage, drawing the grief of thousands and the attention of media that provided the first pictures of students mourning the 22-year-old by candlelight. A month earlier, Duke graduate student Abhijit Mahato was murdered in his apartment near West Campus. Although Mahato’s death was covered locally, it did not captivate news audiences on a national scale. ■ [ln Carson’s case,] it was the kind of coverage we would give if the mayor of a small town was killed suddenly,” said Linda Williams, a senior editor at The (Raleigh) News & Observer. “The reaction is part of the coverage.... The reaction drives the news.” Editors of local papers have said they noted an apparent disparity in coverage, if not in their own pages then in writings and broadcasts nationwide. A Google search Monday of Mahato’s name yielded 36,700 results, with Carson’s giving 521,000 —providing insight, perhaps, into both their lives and deaths. Bob Ashley, Trinity ’7O and editor ofThe (Durham) Herald-Sun, said his paper was conscious of the need to balance coverage of the tragedies. “We said, OK, let’s be careful we’re not doing this because she is a strikingly beautiful young woman,” he said, noting that The Herald-Sun
Close to 100 people gathered at The Anderson Apartments Monday evening to honor the life of slain graduate student Abhijit Mahato and mourn violent murders in Durham. The vigil was one example of how the community has responded to recent student murders in the area. Durham residents and members of the Duke community were present at the event, in addition to many local media oudets. “I have so many things to say about him, but whatever I say is less,” Tanmay Patni, Grad ’O7 and Mahato’s roommate of 10 months, told the crowd. Mahato was shot and killed Jan. 18 in his home at The Anderson Apartments. An initial memorial service was held Jan. 25 at Duke for Mahato, which The (Raleigh) News & Observer reported about 100 people attended, and a prayer was held at the Hindu Temple of North Carolina the following Sunday. Junior Akash Bansal, president of Duke’s International Association, said thefirst service was quieter at the request of Mahato’s deans, friends and relatives. In contrast, several thousand gathered at two vigils held for Eve Carson, a senior and student body president at the University ofNorth Carolina at Chapel Hill. The first vigil was March 6, one day after her body was found, and the second was March 18, after UNC’s spring break. Although the initial response to the Mahato murder was muted, Carson’s death received significant national media and community attention immediately following the incident. Gov. Mike Easley offered a reward ofas much
ment of the
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SEE MEDIA ON PAGE 7
lAN
SOILEAU/THE CHRONICLE
Mourners gather outside The Anderson Apartments Monday to remember graduate student Abhijit Mahato, who was killed in his apartment in the complex Jan. 18.
SEE VIGIL ON PAGE 7
DSG PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE I Andrew Tutt DSG carpool plan aims to For Tutt, experience comes cut congestion outside the bounds ofDSG by
Ashley Holmstrom THE CHRONICLE
Beginning next year, Duke students living off campus will have a new way to help promote a cleaner environment, save money—and get a better Blue Zone parking space. With the new carpooling initiative proposed by junior Sunny Kantha, Duke Student Government’s vice president for athletics and campus services, seniors and juniors in off-campus apartments will have the opportunity to form groups of four or more to obtain a free parking pass for the Blue Zone. "
SEE CARPOOL ON PAGE 8
Eugene Wang THE CHRONICLE
by
Junior Andrew Tutt’s path to the Duke Student Government presidential election is anything but typical. Tutt is the first candidate in recent memory to run for president two years in a row. The biomedical engineering, economics and mathematics triple major from Davis, Calif., finished third in last year’s presidential election. Tutt said, however, that this year is different. As DSG webmaster—and creator of the overarching Student Link
site platform for student groups—and a member of the President’s Council on Black Affairs and the Information Technology Advisory Council, Tutt said he has the experience and knowledge to improve Duke’s academic and social
atmosphere. “Last year I was learning the ropes of this process,” he said. “[This year] I’ve grown in my connection with DSC, I’ve seen much more of the University and I’ve met more administrators.” SEE TUTT ON PAGE 4
CHASE OLIVIERI/THE CHRONICLE
Junior AndrewTutt is one offour candidates for DSG president.