Press freedom
Joy at direct hit turns to horror
Until The Sun published the DVD at the centre of the inquest into the death of Corporal Matty Hull, the Pentagon was still refusing to give permission for it to be shown. Now that Pandora's Box is open, the Americans have backed down.
The same paper claims to have tracked down one of the pilots in question - POPOV36, identified as Gus "Skeeter" Kohntopp, arguably increasing the chance that he might be called to testify in person at the inquest.
It is this kind of investigative journalism that reminds us just how important a free press, for all its faults, can be. This freedom was hard won, and once surrendered, might be as hard to reclaim. I can find much to criticize in The Sun at the best of times, but I am quite happy to forgive it a thousand sins for publishing this video. I dare say the family of Cpl Hull might have an opinion on this as well.
