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2003 Surveillance image of Xerox Federal Credit Union assailant, provided via Webster (NY) Police Dept. web page at http://ci.webster.ny.us/gallery.aspx?PID=36 I'm a college professor, not a reporter. But I may or may not have had something to do with getting a 13-year-old murder case back in gear. Eight weeks ago, I dug up details of a 2003 bank robbery and murder at a Xerox credit union branch in Webster, NY. A Xerox employee, Raymond Batzel, was killed. The killer fled and was never found. My reporting days are well behind me, but I wanted to use the case in a journalism class I teach at St. Bonaventure University . The idea was to get students to think about who they'd call to get updates on a case no one had reported on for almost a decade. (Most of the officers and others connected with the case have moved on.) During my research, I emailed the police chief in Webster, NY, and the FBI's Buffalo office. The FBI responded first, telling me the Webster Police...

Amid the ongoing fallout of NBC newsman Brian Williams' tall stories, a former boss of mine chimed in: "Let's investigate everyone -- key question:  Does the press "speak truth to power" regardless of who is in power?  That is not a test many will pass -- including Brian Williams." Let's be clear: in the matter of Mr. Williams' stories about his Iraq war experience, we don't know what we don't know. For most viewers, he's seen as a compassionate, thoughtful news reader and occasional reporter. And now, one who may have stretched the truth on a personal story with minimal news value. You don't know. I sure don't. The real question may be how long NBC News' leadership knew Mr. Williams' story had holes, yet let him continue for the sake of keeping the Peacock network afloat. The New Yorker's Ken Auletta sums this up here:  http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/brian-williams-god-complex .  By David ...