News reports on accusations that Andreas Lubitz, the Germanwings co-pilot, purposely brought down Flight 9525 over the French Alps have rushed to convict him.
"Andreas Lubitz (27), the Amok Pilot," ran a banner headline in Bild, Germany's most popular tabloid. "Killer in the Cockpit," screamed London's Daily Mail. But The Independent went it one better: "Mass Murder from the Cockpit." Other tabloids offered more in that vein: "madman," "jilted pilot," "why on earth was he allowed to fly?"
All because Marseilles prosecutor Brice Robin saw fit to announce that the co-pilot "wanted to destroy the aircraft." The evidence that led him to that conclusion came from the plane's cockpit audio recorder.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.