Use of Photo Inappropriate

To the editors:

As a regular reader of The Crimson and a member of the community, I was dismayed by your coverage of the alleged rape by a Kirkland House resident.

First, I consider it inappropriate for The Crimson to have published a large photograph of Joshua Elster on the front page. Elster is an undergraduate who has been accused of a serious crime. Within the framework of the law, Elster will attempt to establish his innocence, and if successful, will rightfully want to resume his undergraduate career. The stigma that The Crimson helped create against an accused member of our community would make it very difficult for him to ever return-even if he is innocent of any crime.

Second, the article containing quotes of friends, family and acquaintances of Elster's smacked of the kind of tabloid journalism that I pray The Crimson does not endorse. An undergraduate in trouble with the law should not be subjected to the humiliation of an article in which people that know him talk pejoratively about his personality or relationships.

I have never met Joshua Elster and had never heard of him before Feb. 3. If he is found guilty, he should be punished and stigmatized. But as a colleague of ours, and a fellow human being, he should not be punished before then. ZACHARY L. SHRIER '99   Feb. 3, 1998