Shock Value Versus News Value

* A mother’s agony over the death of her 18-year-old son: Surely a picture like this does not deserve to be printed on the front page of The Times (“Gunman Kills 2, Injures 4 in Garden Grove,” Aug. 31).

I am appalled to see this newspaper choosing sensationalism over common decency, shock value over newsworthiness.

This photograph adds nothing to the story that it accompanies. Moreover, it is completely distasteful and inappropriate.

Perhaps when deciding what photos to pair with your stories, you should consider how you might feel if you were that grieving mother.

PASCALE GOUPILLAUD

Irvine