Puppy Killer Receives Workhouse Sentence
"A St. Paul man who snapped the necks of 10 puppies last summer has been barred from owning or possessing pets for at least two years."
Article from the Star Tribune can be found here: http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/16864306.htm
Article from the Pioneer Press: http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/16864306.htm
The Star Tribune used a hard news lead and summarized the most significant points of the story concisely. I thought that considering the content of the story, the deicison to use an inverted paragraph was wise. It allowed the author to stay away from sentientalism and simply report the facts.
The Pioneer Press article began with the delayed lead: "A convicted puppy killer who agreed as part of his punishment never to own pets again didn't wind up with a lifetime ban after all." While I liked that the author emphasized the leniency of the sentence, I preferred the Tribune lead because it delivered the facts quicker.
Ultimately, I thought the Pionner Press article was more in-depth and contained better reporting. Information such as: " Despite a plea from Carter's fiancee, Leary refused Thursday to lift a no-contact order barring Carter from communicating with his fiancee until he undergoes treatment." and a clear description of what spurred the pet killer's actions were lacking from the Tribune version. Especially in a story like this, those are vital details.