Thank you.... as I am sure the family will... I can just imagine how I would feel if it were one of my family members...
I agree with your thoughts.. and actions.. Sandy

i think the tape should be shown and viewers have the choice if they want to watch it or not

Viewing your channel from Canada I was very much surprised by your decision not to air the clip of the unfortunate gentleman jumping to his death. The United States media is usually thrilled to have such sensational video to show no matter what the content. I was overjoyed to see your channel taking the morally correct path. You have shown true sensitivity to the family and the public in general. Keep up the good work and kudos to you.

Thank you for NOT showing the video on TV. The story is compelling enough without resorting to sensationalism. The poor man's family is in enough pain and you made a sensitive and humane decision.

I applaud your decision not to air the unfortunate ending of the gentleman on the bridge. I hope that other tv stations will follow your lead.

Hooray for humane discernment, thoughtful discussion, and compelling coverage of a painful, sad situation. Because of KREM's decision to not air the suicide video, I will be a more regular viewer. Good for you!

I want to thank you for your not airing this poor mans last few moments of life. You are very caring and have shown the public that not all news stations are only out to get the story. I am an avid watcher of your news cast and am proud to say so. It is wonderful to see the concern for the family and your viewers. Thanks again.

I applaud you for not showing the video. I would be horrified if he was a member of my family and you decided to show it. People who want to see such a scene need to see a doctor for their problem. Any morally and ethically correct person would not want to see this weather it was their family member or not. It isn't needed to show such a dramatic and tragic event when words more than describe it and I would even caution on how many details are given then as well. It's enough to say that he tragicly decided to end his life despite efforts to help him decide otherwise.

I also agree with not showing the vidoe. I lived in LA where a man was also suicidal and was standing on the ledge of a bridge with a shotgun in hand. This interrupted 3 pm cartoons that kids were watching. The news stations didn't turn off cameras fast enough and he ended his life with his shotgun and it was horrifying. We do not need to see this.

Thank you for your decision. In this day and age when it is almost impossible to preserve our privacy, this man and his loved ones are blessed you protected theirs. While his initial act played out under tremendous public scrutiny, his final one need not be publicly exposed.

I agree with your choice not to show it. We already know what happened so why show the graphic tragic outcome. If people really want the sensationalism, just use your imagination.
How tragic, I feel terrible for everyone involved.
Thanks Krem two, that's why your my favorite news channel!

Thank you very much for not showing this video. Nobody really needs to watch a desperate, mentally ill man plunge to his death. Too many media outlets step over the line chasing bloody stories -- tonight you chose to mantain both your journalistic integrity and your humanity.

Thanks for your sensible coverage of this story. I applaud your decision to report this unfortunate incident without sensationalism. Unlike your competition, you have shown an unusual sense of professionalism in a media world prone to luridness. KREM2 continues to be my first choice.

Thank you for not showing the video clip. I could see some idiot posting it on YouTube.

Horrible situation. With that said ---- oh plueeeease -- give me a break. You know you wanted to show the tape.

It has NOTHING to do with the sensitivities of the families BELIEVE me. It earns you better KUDOS spinning to the public that you are a sensitive TV station - trouble with that position Noah is that the other two stations did and said the same as you. SO you are not protecting the families, the thing is that if you were allowed by law to show a man falling to his death in an apparent suicide then you would because its good news reporting.

I see the writing on the wall that media is going to ring their hands in speculation over what happened and somehow find a way to blame it on police procedure.

thank you very much for taking the courtesy in not showing this video. im sure it was a touch decisions but also a respectable one.

Its best that you didn't show it... Showing someone jumping to their deaths isn't exactly TV material...

His family would probably thank you, and he would probably thank you.

I am the director af an Idaho ambulance service and see all kinds of human suffering. I see no reason to air video footage of a mans last moments of life and I commend KREM for not airing the footage. Nothing would be gained except maybe some morbid satifaction to a few. My prayers go out to his family.

I think you should show the video because maybe it would make other people that try to comment Suicide think about what could happen

way to go Krem 2. Thank you for having the courage to take the moral high ground. Maybe other organizations will follow your lead! In situations like this, we usually know what happens in the end, but that doesn't mean that we have to or should see it!

It was a very wise decision not to show the tape. How tragic that he decided to jump anyway after all those hours. My heart goes out to the family members and I am sure they are thankful that this was not aired. My heart also goes out to all of the Law Enforcement and others who tried to help him.

I appreciate your decision. I work in an office with windows facing the bridge. We kept an eye on the situation today and a couple of us saw the conclusion. You're right; it's not something everyone needs to see. The description you've provided is quite accurate and complete.
I feel for the man's wife as well as all of the uniformed personnel that took part, especially those who were so nearby at the end. They showed an amazing amount of patience all day. I really hope that they're doing okay tonight.
I'd like to add that I was very impressed by the actions of the Police Chief and Mayor toward the man's wife so shortly after she had lost her husband.

If the public could only see what that newsroom gathering was really like. They wouldn't relay on blind faith for your self proclaimed "sensitivities". Nice spin to make yourselves look civil. Truth be told.... Noah would be the first to air it if he thought HE would benifit from it.

Thank you, many would have shown it, hoping to boost ratings. You have shown that you ARE the leaders when it comes to news. Watching a depressed young man end his life is not news, it is a tragedy. Condolences to the family.

Whether the video is shown or not still does not stop the mental pictures your brain creates while reading about the final moments of anyones life, suicidal or not.

The same damage mentally is still there.

Therefor I see no difference to write about it or show the video.

And another thing that erks me about local news is that you feel it's unethical to show such videos but it's ok to show national tragic news -- between plane crashes and suicide bombers in Iraq you still show those as if there isn't any vets like me or family members that could be living here who have lived all that in person.

If you want to avoid people's pain as you so graciously have done here then stop broadcasting all of it.

Stop being 2 faced.

Thanks to KREM - I respect your decision and really appreciate it. I turned off the news for the simple fact I could not watch such a tragedy and later saw a blurb that KREM was not going to air it. Thank you!!

Thank you so much for having the decency NOT to show the tragic end to this man's life. We don't need to see that and his family needs to be respected as well. Obviously this man was very ill and was not in the right state of mind and we need to respect that. Thank you, thank you for not showing this.

It is a very tragic story. I agree with your decision not to show the tape not only to be sensative to this man's family and viewers but to the rescuers who worked so hard for so many hours to try to save him. We know they did their best to rescue this troubled man.

It seems a great deal has already been said about the decision not to air this man's death and I feel no need to add to that. I must confess being conflicted, however, about your implied policy of general censorship of suicidal issues.

On the one hand, I appreciate the desire not to normalize and risk affirmation of suicidal thoughts. On the other hand, we musn't hide from the realities that beset so many of our brothers and sisters. I wonder if, perhaps, it might be sensible, in any piece on suicide (attempted or otherwise), to include information about mental health resources available for those who may be having such thoughts or for anyone whose family member or friends might be. Stories on suicide are bound to attract readers and viewers who share such thoughts and you have the opportunity to provide access to vital resources. It is, I hope, something you will consider.

I think it is all contradictory. The news will show the world trade centers being ran into by planes but they won't show this. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE sorry but there is not. News should should show the clip and say before they show what (if you would want to say rated R material) NOT SUITABLE FOR YOUNG VIEWERS, or something of that nature.

i think you should just post it on your web site and let people decide for themselvs.

I think the whole thing was ridiculous. Authorities actually let him stand there for more than 20 hours. I think the man already had is mind made up, and they should have let him jump along time ago. You spend 20 hours of our tax money trying to talk a psycho from jumping off a bridge doesn't make much sense to me. I do feel for the mans family, but he obviously already had his mind made up. I think the video should have been shown and if viewers wanted to view they could have viewed. Thanks

i think you should just post it on your web site and let people decide for themselvs.

Whether a man is mentally ill or not shouldn't be so much of a concern as viewing and showing someone attemping suicide. What should be considered is that talking about methodology and possiblity of "copy- cat" suicides.

The more that is said to the public about the man who committed suicide, is not the most helpful approach to our community.
We should be discussing suicide prevention and what to do when we are considering suicide.
So, What are our community resources?
We have a crisis line:
First Call For Help 838-4428
The hospitals have psychiatric services triage available in their ERs.
For educationing people on suicide prevention we have Spokane Regional Health District who has a person who can help with presentions on suicide prevention. 324-1500
We are also very fortunate that we have a nationally recognized QPR (Question Persuade Refer) (CPR for suicide prevention), created by Dr. Paul Quinnett, based here in Spokane.

Let's use these resources and prevent more suicides rather than contributing to a suicide contagion in our community.

I agree with KC - why did the city waste so much time and money on one person? If someone wants to jump, let him/her jump. They are only taking up space, not contributing anything to society. Now if he had been trying to take someone with him who was not ready to die, that would have been a time to intervene. But only for the second person, not for the crazy idiot (excuse me PC police, "mentally ill person" )

And you should show the clip. Nobody is forcing anyone to watch anything they don't want to - people can change the channel anytime or even shut off the TV.

Just because a person is sitting on the edge of the bridge ready to jump does not mean they don't want help. Most people are ambivilent about dying, even while attempting suicide. It sounds like several people writing blogs are ignorant about suicide and suicide prevention. There is help available.
A person who is suicidal is still an important member of our society. Just because they feel like dying doesn't mean they are just a drain on society.
Airing this video is not going to prevent suicides as previously suggested by a commenter.
Besides, it's really none of our business to see it.

I find most of you people dispicable! If you want to see some graphic tragedy, go watch one of those real-life horror flicks.
Having known this young man, I am proud of this news station for having respect for him and his family. And for those of you who feel that this young man was "only taking up space, not contributing anything to society", you are completely inaccurate. If you had known him, you'd known he was a huge contributor. Get your facts straight!
Maybe those who criticize the news station for wanting to see this video, should really analyze your own life, NOT HIS.
Mental illness is NOT a joke. Show some respect!

I am still very angry at KREM2 for showing so much of the man on the bridge yesterday and this morning. I was horrified thinking that if the man did live, knowing that this footage had been seen might hinder his recovery. I was really disappointed that they chose to show so much footage of him close enough for family and friends to be able to recognize him. I tried desperately last night to call KREM2 to get them to stop showing the video.

Really sad to read some of these heartless posts about letting him jump. Denise, you don't have to use the term mentally ill, but that's what it is. An illness of the mind the same as heart disease or cancer are illnesses. People who commit suicide have snapped in a way NONE of the rest of us could ever understand. Even if you have attempted it, there was some small glimmer of hope or light, the intervention of someone or the passing of time that kept you from succeeding. If this man had lived longer than this terrible depression he obviously had, perhaps he could have been saved. Maybe a day would have come that would have been brighter. Suicide truly is a "permanent solution to a temporary problem" Charlene, you were right, he still was an important person in our society. Last night he was one of the most important people in society to me as I so hoped he would live.
In any event, I don't think it should be a case of let the viewer decide if they want to watch, I think it was irresponsible to air the footage of him on the bridge both for what it could have done to his recovery and what it will do to his family. Heaven forbid that some of you or your family members are in this position and people are yelling at them to jump and fighting to see the video!

I am so very thankful that you did not show the video. I made the bad decision of watching KHQ and they decided to show it. It's too bad that they didn't follow your's and KXLY's decision to have a bit of class.
I am really hoping that by having this story sensationalized by the news media, that others who are suicidal don't find this as a way to get some attention. Next time you decide to show a story like this, please take into consideration who else it might be affecting, their past experiences, and if this could cause some traumic events to resurface in their lives.

Thank You so much for putting the sensitivity of that Poor Man's Family over sensationalism and ratings. You have been my fvorite news and weather station for many many years but now my esteem for your station has been elevated! Now I will recommend you to others. THANK YOU!

I know a witness to the incedent and from their perspective the police had "chased" the man with their tasers right before he decided to jump. I feel that it is the publics right to know what kind of police/protection their government gives them. By not showing the video, it makes me wonder if their is something the news is hiding for the sake of The Spokane County Police Department.

THANK YOU FOR NOT SHOWING WHAT HAPPENED...THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS DON'T NEED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO A LOVED ONE....PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT GO TO A MOVIE...THANKS KREM....

If this is really the case, then please explain why KREM had a camera planted on the man "live" during the morning news. He could have jumped at any time. Was there a delay? Doubtful. This seems like a pretty weak attempt to appear to have taken the high road. It's one more time KREM appears to have a fairly inexperienced and indecisive leadership in the newsroom.

I read a comment by KC that concerned me a little bit. You say that this whole thing is a big waist of tax payers money and time. I will have to respectfully disagree. At what point in society does anybody think that money is more important than a human life. Everybody has problems sometimes, how do any of us know what his problems were. Nobody had a clue that he was going to jump, that could not have been predicted. Police and Fire have to make every effort available to save a human life if it can be saved, that was the correct and moral decision. I would not want to be the person who just let's the man jump to his death because it saves money, and then have to stand in front of GOD one day and explain that to him. Also, there is no reason to show the video, we all know what the out come was. It's really none of our business. I work for a Police department and there are suicide attempts on a nightly basis that you never hear about. The only difference with this one is that a major bridge was shut down and the public would want to know why. Have a little respect for his family and loved ones!

You made the compassionatly right decision and for the right reasons.

After thinking on it overnight, I have decided that you ARE RIGHT NOT to show the horrid event. It was not a movie, it is of REAL life. May God forgive this creature, and bring him Home.

So you won't show an adult CHOOSING to kill himself, but you'll gladly release the personal information of a minor sex crime victim? To hell with the little girl, we have to protect this suicidal idiot!

Thank you for not showing this particular incident. I am always concerned about other mentally unbalanced individuals feeling the need to copy-cat.
We really don't need to see everything. At some point it becomes gratuitous.

I believe it was a wise decision to not air the conclusion of this person's life. Hate to say it but if a person wants to jump so be it. He probably wouldn't have if no one paid attention to him. Well at least he wouldn't be costing the tax payors anymore money. Maybe he should have gone to Iraq if he wanted to kill himself instead of sending our healthy youth. Sorry to sound like I don't care but the attention spend on this was a circus. Spokane police dept. is so worried about lawsuits anymore, did this play a factor?

I believe it was a wise decision to not air the conclusion of this person's life. Hate to say it but if a person wants to jump so be it. He probably wouldn't have if no one paid attention to him. Well at least he wouldn't be costing the tax payors anymore money. Maybe he should have gone to Iraq if he wanted to kill himself instead of sending our healthy youth. Sorry to sound like I don't care but the attention spend on this was a circus. Spokane police dept. is so worried about lawsuits anymore, did this play a factor?

I agreed with your position to not air the video of that man's final moments.To my horror,one of my brothers said 'let him jump' a comment shared by some bloggers.May they did treated with the same compassion at a crisis point in their lives.

Good job by not showing the man at his worst time in life. It was very sad to watch it all unfold and my heart goes out to his family, and to him.

Thank you for not showing the tape. To some of the other viewers who said that the other stations did not show it either, that is not true. I watched the 11pm news on another station last night and they showed everything except the man going over. It was way too much to see. Just knowing the story is plenty of information for people. My heart goes out to this poor mans family and friends.

I want to thank you for NOT broadcasting the suicidal leap that occurred yesterday. The fact the gentleman chose to commit suicide is news. Broadcasting the plunge is merely titillation.

The broadcast and media, subject to serendipitous exposure of children. Any parent with children knows that things happen on TV or in the paper over which they have no control. Witnessing this man's final act would have had an unnecessarily detrimental effect on many children.

Some have suggested the treatment of mental illness is a straight-forward process. My experience as a physician says otherwise. The causes and cures of the many varieties and intensities of a mental illness are beyond even the best medical treatment. There are those who live with absolutely no hope, who live with a mind that is constantly shifting and confused, who live with a deep pain, worse than any physical injury, yet go through each day beyond the help of humankind. These are not weak people. They struggle with an internal life that is not only painful beyond description but not of their doing. Those that live daily with uncontrollable fluctuations of emotions, intrusively condemning thoughts and the realization that they may never be better, are some of the strongest people in our society. For them to live through in each day with their illness without committing suicide is a miracle. Our hearts should go out to this man, his family and those who tried to help him.

What was the purpose of training a camera (albeit a long shot) of the suicidal subject early in the stand-off? Obviously it would have been some compelling (T.V.newsspeak) video otherwise...what was the point? The "news" was the disruption of traffic...or was it? How do you determine if one suicide it more newsworthy than another? You claim there was lots of discussion in the newsroom and that suicides are on a case by case basis. What are the determining factors?

I agree with the minority on this page. Its incredibly hypocritical. You would say its ok to show dead american soldiers hanging in Iraq because it "affects" me. What about their families? What they do as soldiers is honorable. What this man did was ultimately the cowards way out. The amount of attention given to this guy was outrageous. Keep that up, and we are going to have mentally ill and depressed people lining up on that bridge to jump and grab 15 minutes of fame every week! In this case 20 hours.

I agree with the minority on this page. Its incredibly hypocritical. You would say its ok to show dead american soldiers hanging in Iraq because it "affects" me. What about their families? What they do as soldiers is honorable. What this man did was ultimately the cowards way out. The amount of attention given to this guy was outrageous. Keep that up, and we are going to have mentally ill and depressed people lining up on that bridge to jump and grab 15 minutes of fame every week! In this case 20 hours.

I actually knew this guy....he was barely 30 if that. A normal kid who was way into outdoor recreation etc...this wasnt just some meth head from Spokane.

Regardless of KREM's intent--either as an attempt at the appearance of sensitivity or a genuine crisis of conscience--I appreciate the decision not to air the video.

I am very sad for this person's family and friends. To be in such despair that the thought of ending your life is something I hope most people never have to experience. What saddens me even more is the lack of sensitivity and insight of the sufferings of those with mental illness. I pray that for those who have such a callous heart when they meet their Maker one day they have a good explanation on why they were so empathetic of others. I also pray that you, a family member or close friend never have to experience the thought of suicide or the actual ending of one's life. Thank you KREM for your good and caring decision. My thoughts and prayers to all whose life was affected by this tragedy.

my tax dollars went to pay for his little stunt sorry thats what it was if he wanted to die he could have done it differently but no he wasted valued time of police officers and countless resources

my tax dollars went to pay for his little stunt sorry thats what it was if he wanted to die he could have done it differently but no he wasted valued time of police officers and countless resources. Show the Tape!

i HAVE IN THE PAST HAD TROUBLE WITH DEPRESSION, i AM BI POLAR. tHOUGHT i AM STILL ALIVE i HAVE SURVIVED PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT SO LUCKY. fOR ME THERE IS NO QUESTION WHAT YOU DID WAS RIGHT. tHE SITUATION AND OUTCOME FOR VEIWERS WAS A SAD ONE, FOR HIM IT WAS HELL ON EARTH AND HE FELT LIFE IS SHORT BUT THIS TIME IT WAS BIGGER THAN THE STRENGTH HE HAD TO GET UP OFF HIS KNEES. iF IT WAS ANY OF THE VEIWERS IN THAT SITUATION, NO ONE WOULD WANT TO BE SHOWN SCARED AND ALONE SCRAMBLING IN FEAR, TRYING TO MAKE SENCE OF WHY HE IS HERE AND IN MY OPINION YOU ARE HIS SAVING GRACE IN A TIME WHEN HE HAS FALLIN FROM IT. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EVER TRYED AND FAILED AND EVEN MORE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO TRYED AND SUCEEDED. YOU ARE NOW AND FOREVER IN MY PRAYERS.

I think the main reason that the end of this story was not shown on tape, was the fact that the police were tazering an unstable person, who could not decide weather to live or die. Inflict physical pain to a person that is already going through such emotion pain. How does that help. I was livid, when I heard that on the news report.
Also, I am very sorry for the man's family. It is a horrible experience to go through.

I am glad you didn't show the video. At about 1 AM that night I was downtown with some friends, and we just watched the man sit up on the bridge and talked to the police a little. It was sad enough seeing him sitting up there. I was hoping he wouldn't jump.

Will someone please take the tazer guns away from our police department? He was peacefully surrendering. Why Tazer him? I support his father, and hope something can be done to stop the murder of defenseless people in this city.

I'm with Diane. Someone needs to take the tazer's away from our tazer happy police. Guns and tazers seem to be their negotiating tool of choice.

I have seen the footage on other sites but not the complete ... I think it was in the best interest not to show it all and possibbly none f it for the families sake , however with the rise in suicides i think it is good that people see what it can come down to if the dont take someone serious when they make such a comment aswell as for those who have had issues with it for them to see how many others it will effect by the selfish act of doing so. I feel truly sorry for the friends family and people that had to be present and will suffer long after this event. I can only hope that "depression" is made more aware and "acceptable" so that people who are having problems with it dont feel so alone in getting help , far too often i hear poeple say they dont want help or wont seek it because thats admitting something is wrong with them, we need to face the fact that everyone has levels of it some just dont have the resources to deal with it ...

another sad loss :(

I like KREM. Good decision, good thinking.
thank you.

Speaking as a person who has been though the "psychiatric services triage" with in the last week, the system is a joke. I was taken down by sheriffs officers who threatened to hurt me because I was hurting myself. I did not tie up anyone's valuable time or resources. I just wanted to be left alone to die. In this wonderful anti-suicide sytem i was degraded and humiliated until I was willing to agree to "contract not to kill my self." After 6 hours in the sacred heart ER, I was released at 3am with no one to talk to or ensure my "safety". Shoved out into the street is what I would call it. I spent 6 hours chained to a bed for my safety and then no one cared. Now i find that the police tasered a man who was commiting suicide. What are police afraid of? This is just another example of the extreme of which the law enforcement of our community is out of control and how most people here just bury thier heads in the sand. I have seen nothing in this blog that makes me think any of you have the slightest clue of what your talking about.
Good bye, cruel Spokane

Come on Mr. Cooper and get off the high horse. Your news lives and breathes sensationalism. There's only two possible explanations as to why you didn't show the tragic end to this man's life: Someone either told you not to broadcast it or you didn't have the video.

It seems you have been able to make a "pat ourselves on the back" story out of nothing. Why would you show the video tape? I am surprised it is even an issue. What a magnanimous thing you have done denying your viewers of what they truly want based on your high moral stance. Please!

Noah: While KREM 2 does show much more breaking news than (entirely) necessary, your decision not to cover this tragic story in the traditional sense but, rather, through the written word reflected such humanitarianism, affording the utmost respect and kindness towards this man and his family. I am certain that, during their time of sadness, they are very grateful for KREM's utilization of discretion and great sensitivity.

With many thanks.

Posted by: Heather at July 28, 2007 11:16 AM
"There are those who live with absolutely no hope, who live with a mind that is constantly shifting and confused, who live with a deep pain, worse than any physical injury, yet go through each day beyond the help of humankind. These are not weak people. They struggle with an internal life that is not only painful beyond description but not of their doing. Those that live daily with uncontrollable fluctuations of emotions, intrusively condemning thoughts and the realization that they may never be better, are some of the strongest people in our society. For them to live through in each day with their illness without committing suicide is a miracle."

This has to be the best post I have seen on this page.

I commend you for not showing it. Too many negative posts on here. People just need to appreciate the fact that you didn't show it, and quit going on conspiracy theories that the police made him jump or that they were in calaboration with KREM. If the police were "out to get him", they wouldn't have spent 20 hours trying to talk him down.

Wow, I'am so sad I knew this young man and feel very lucky that I was able to know him. Some of the comments you very mean and heartless people have chose to write amaze me let me ask Mr KC and Charlene would you have these same feelings if it was your child would it then be a wast of the tax payers money and would you then want to watch the last moments of your childs life fall to there death?? Also I would like to say this young man came from a very loving and caring family and I know they did everything they knew to do to help him and I also do belive the out come of all of this could have been very different had the police let his father talk to him which they would not do.Thank-Krem for not being heartless.
Lisa Smith

Why does everyone feel the tazors are what killed him or kill people. It enable someone to FIGHT BACK and bring them down to not only protect the police officers (who by the way if you all have forgotten are just like you and I), but to also take down those who are dangerous to themselves. This man was not surrendering, he was going to the bathroom!!! The officers were still talking to him during this break of his.

What that man was dealing with were many evil demons and it is terrible what happened to him and the effects it has on his families, but seriously people, stop placing blame on someone else the the rest of our society so easily does. Let's look at who actually jumped. The department didn't push him off for petes sake! Learn the facts before you speak with emotion please.

Thanks Krem 2, as all the other stations, for respecting us in not showing the man jumping. And as Eddy says, suicides happen on a nightly basis, this one just so happened to stop traffic and the news were doing what was best and informing the liberal society so they would get another chance to complain YET AGAIN. It is now in Gods hands to hopefully save this man.

As a friend of the family, I cannot imagine the horror of watching such a tape. Thank you for not showing the tape. I do hope is is gone forever.

After reading all of the previous posts, here are my thoughts:
Generally, the reason suicides are not mentioned in tv news is because (with a few exceptions) it's not "news". It is generally a private event, and there is no suspect, living victim or court case, so there is generally no reason to mention it. However, when - as in this case - the person decides to make their suicide public, then - I think - news editors have 1 of two choices:
1. Do not show the suicidal subject - AT ALL - EVER. The event can be covered without actual footage of the individual that would reveal their identity to the public. Then they would be protected the same way the news protects the identity of other suicidal subjects, while, at the same time issues of public concern (such as the traffic back up, bridge closure, etc..) could be covered.
-OR-
2. Air ALL of the footage... including the events leading up to the death (without showing dead bodies - as that is a separate news policy issue). Who knows - as one previous poster noted - the actions of others on scene may have contributed to the suicide, and that is information that the public has the right to know and judge for themselves. Once the identity of the suicidal subject has been made public, why suddenly become protective of them/their families just because they're dead.
In my opinion, the decision to show the man's face for 20 hours, and then not show the conclusion of the "story" is a gutless attempt to cater to perceived viewer sensitivities. That's NOT what news is about. Tell the story. It's no longer a private event, his identity has already been revealed so, once you've gone that far, you're obligated - as journalists - to tell the WHOLE story.

Your network should be the example which all other networks should be held to. The story was well covered where the graphic ending was not needed. I can not think any other network I have ever seen that showed as much class as you displayed in your desission. ~Casey - Portland,OR