How We Think About Words Like ‘Murder’ in Our Minneapolis Coverage

The Times sticks to facts and avoids language that passes legal judgment on events that are still unfolding.

I’ve noticed certain words in news reports and social media conversation about the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis, and some people have asked about the language in our own coverage. So I thought it was a good moment to share how The Times thinks about specific legal terms that are also used widely in conversation.

In a politically polarized environment, with declarations of certainty all around, we have to capture the magnitude of a situation without saying more than we know. Our goal is to be as precise as we can, to be especially careful with word choice and steer away from language that takes sides or conveys an opinion.

Readers might see references elsewhere to the “murder” of Mr. Pretti or Ms. Good, but that word has a clear and significant meaning in law enforcement and the legal system. We do not use it unless a formal charge has been made or a court has found that a killing was, indeed, a murder.