Wood's death not preventable but a 'freak accident'

To anyone who had the unfortunate experience of reading “The Mustang Daily doesn’t want to write your obituary”:

My name is Dave Dougherty, and I am the current president of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. On Monday afternoon, Jan. 22, I had the unfortunate experience of reading the Mustang Daily’s staff editorial. I say this because the “editors” of the paper decided to “make an example out of Spencer Wood” as Jennifer Hall, managing editor of the Mustang Daily, said to me in a phone conversation Monday evening. In this article, the editors conveyed many pieces of false information based on supposed conversations with those who knew Spencer and also included their own speculations as to the cause of his death.

What the editors failed to mention in this editorial is where their information came from, and how much truth it actually contained. Spencer was a close friend and to see him disrespected in this way is absolutely appalling. Please take a minute to read this response to the editorial and let me shine light on the actual facts regarding his death.

In the first paragraph of the article, the last line states that, “Wood’s death particularly struck us because it was preventable.” The second paragraph of the article goes on to say “Friends speculate that the lack of sobriety most likely caused him to fall down a shallow drainage wash, which is where his body was discovered the next afternoon.” The article continued on to say that “While his life should be celebrated, his death can also serve as a lesson.”

These three lines in particular really sparked my anger and I felt it was necessary to contact Ms. Hall and discuss the article with her. When speaking with her on the phone, I asked where they got the information that they presented in this editorial. She refused to disclose her sources and I further proceeded by asking what official documents they had seen regarding Spencer’s death. I asked if they had obtained or seen the police report, the toxicology report, or the autopsy report. She responded “No” to all questions. Then I asked her which “close friends” had speculated on the cause of his death, but she refused to say which friends they were and only assured me that it was someone close to him. The “facts” presented in this editorial are completely fabricated.

The truth is that his death was in no way preventable. Had the editors actually read any document of merit, such as the autopsy report, they would have seen that the cause of his death was head trauma and internal bleeding. Spencer was walking down a hill, in an unlit, pitch black area, where he then slipped, fell and hit the soft area of the head behind his ear on a rock. Doctors explained this event as a “freak accident” and that it was in no way related to alcohol consumption. The toxicology report shows that his blood alcohol level was not significant enough to report.

A detective on this case explained to me that a completely sober person with 20/20 vision at night could have just as easily slipped and fell down the same hill. He further stated that when Spencer hit his head, he hit a “sweet” spot. He could have fallen down that same hill 100 times without being able to reproduce the one fateful blow that he received. Please tell me Mustang Daily, what part of this actual story makes his death preventable, because I fail to see how to prevent a freak accident, and am appalled that the editors of the Mustang Daily would have the audacity to say so.

As a further slap in the face to all who knew Spencer, the editors decided to put a picture of someone with Xs in their eyes, keeled over a toilet, as a representation of drinking and directly inferring on Spencer’s supposed state of mind. This image was extremely offensive and makes me sick to my stomach every time I look at it.

During my extremely aggravating and painful discussion with Ms. Hall, she attempted to remedy the situation by telling me that they did put an article on the front page regarding the memorial service. If you think that a poorly written and extremely impersonal article is going to make his friends and family feel better, you are again mistaken. There were many people who spoke at this service and poured their hearts out in front of a completely packed Business Silo. These people included family, friends, and members of the history department.

During the service, the history department presented the Wood’s family with his diploma, a further sign of just how highly the people who actually knew Spencer thought of him. It boggles my mind that reporter Hayley Bramble, who did attend this service, neglected to include any of this pertinent information in her article and failed to ask any of the speakers about Spencer. Instead, she chose two people who had a couple classes with Spencer, one of whom is a friend of the reporter’s, to give vague and impersonal comments about his life.

The editors of the Mustang Daily are extremely lucky that his family did not see this article because it would negate all the positive healing that took place this weekend. Had they known what this article stated and what type of person it described him as, they would be not only heartbroken, but would be most likely suing the paper for libel.

In conclusion, I tip my hat off to you “editors” of the Mustang Daily. You managed to commemorate the six-month anniversary of one of my best friend’s death by degrading him and destroying all the good that he stood for. The lack of professionalism and compassion exhibited by the Mustang Daily for one of the greatest people I have ever met is truly amazing. I hope the positions you hold at the Mustang Daily are temporary, because your futures as journalists are mediocre at best.

Dave Dougherty is an industrial technology senior, the president of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and a friend of Spencer Wood.

Editor’s note: Jennifer Hall, the managing editor of the Mustang Daily, disputes some of the claims made in this commentary. When she spoke on the phone to Dave Doughtery, she said that the editorial was not meant to make an example out of Spencer Wood.

Also, the Mutang Daily did see a copy of the autospy report. However, reporters from any media organization are unable to obtain police reports as they are reserved for family and friends only.