Mördare och poliser

Blidberg, he personified all the work
carried out by the police and was also
the person, in the media, who finally
solved the case. The portrayal of the
Deputy Commissioner and his role in
the crime investigation was obviously
oversimplified. Hundreds of police
worked on the case. Police investigations
rely on teamwork.
Portrayal of a
suspected killer
Personal accounts are an important
feature of journalism for several reasons.
In storytelling techniques, individuals –
especially those with odd qualities –
attract more interest than groups of
people. And both the 35-year-old and
24-year-old suspects fitted into this
category.
Journalists excelled in producing
personal details about these men. All
media made frequent use of excerpts
and citations from earlier personal case
studies, interview transcripts and court
reports. Because of these sources, the
descriptions of both the 35-year-old
and 24-year-old men were similar. The
same types of personality disorders and
crimes were attributed to both men in
newspaper and radio reports. Excerpts
were usually presented as objective
facts, but details in the various investigations
were actually based to a large
degree on subjective observations and
the interpretations of individual officials.
The media, especially single copy
newspapers, showed great skill in finding
people who could and wanted to
talk about the male suspects. Former
neighbours, relatives, girlfriends and
lovers, “friends”, old classmates and
crime victims offered information.
Many of them remained anonymous
or appeared in photos that concealed
their identity. Anonymity can be due
to several factors. Some people demand
anonymity. But it could also be a deliberate
strategy on behalf of newsrooms
to avoid criticism of their sources. The
customary psychologists and criminologists
who offer expert opinions and
knowledge in the media were asked to
assess and evaluate the male suspects.
Not once had any of them met the
two suspects, and yet they spoke at
great length about the personalities
and characters of these men.
The male suspects were among the
individuals who appeared most in photos
in the articles and news items. The
most frequently appearing individual
was the “NK man”. Photos concealing
his face were published on 13 September,
but his face was shown in all media
on the following day and then repeatedly.
The photos from the security
cameras in NK were obviously newsworthy.
Their publication was also part
of police appeals for more information
from the public, and did in fact lead to
a large number of tips. 154
154. Mats Nylén, Press Officer at the Sockholm Police Department Control Room in the TV programme
Rapport, on 13 Septembe 2003.
a classic criminal drama | 137