Two people, including 15-year-old boy, are in custody in connection with the execution-style slayings of three college students in a Newark, New Jersey, schoolyard, authorities said.
Jose Carranza, 31, of Newark, New Jersey, surrendered in the slayings of three college students. Jose Carranza, 31, of Newark, surrendered with his lawyer at midday Thursday, Mayor Cory A. Booker said.
The suspect insisted on surrendering to the mayor after learning he was wanted for murder.
“He simply came forward. He said nothing,” recalled Booker, who rushed from a news conference to the police station for the surrender.
“We put him in handcuffs and we walked the individual into the office. I personally helped the detective to sit him down and I left,” the mayor added.
Prescription:
Every so often in a publicists’ life you get that one rare amazing opportunity or circumstance that changes the direction of your strategy or story or position for you and your client or in this case, your boss ( Mayor Booker). Add to that flawless execution of getting the facts and news to the media and you might get a moment that goes down in history that people remember forever. Such is the case perhaps for Lupe Todd, the mayor’s press secretary in which today the mayor gave a a rather detailed blow by blow account of how one of the demon suspects in this case and his lawyer contacted the authorities as well as the mayor to turn himself in.
This was no regular story. In the PR ( public relations) business this is called a Crisis ( cue scary music). Cleary, the mayor’s election campaign built him up as a son of Newark and with this horrific crime– in a matter of seconds, the community began to turn on him even picketing in the streets to have him removed. But then, out of nowhere, except in the movies do criminals turn themselves into the mayor. Im sure Ms. Todd breathed a sigh of relief because in a matter of seconds it seemed the mayor everyone loves, even if you don’t live in NJ was a savior again, a man of the people. (Insert apology from ”the people” here).
And, then it doesnt get any better than when at the press conference about this, the Mayor answered questions from the latino media in Spanish and English!
This was a case of spin the story or act with lighting speed to avoid irrelevant, assuming and insulting spin. Speed won and when it comes off this smoothly it can only mean the mayor’s team or publicist is execptional because the mayor clearly shines here despite the circumstances.
Read the full article here:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/08/09/schoolyard.killings/index.html
