I am not an arsonist.

But the ambiguous reporting in the Kennebec Journal about the criminal investigation into the fire that destroyed a building I owned in Randolph last spring has to leave readers wondering.

The Oct. 18 headline claims, “Arson Case Might Involve More Suspects.” The story then reports that James St. Amand, who threatened to burn the building shortly before the April 9 fire, “had been” a suspect. T

his lack of clarity was followed by another accounting of the financial troubles I faced at the time of the fire.

I was very uncomfortable with the conclusions readers might reach and set out to clarify the record.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office, as confirmed to the Kennebec Journal, has not ruled out St. Amand as a suspect. This was reported as a small clarification on page A2 of the Oct. 19th edition of the paper.

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Nor have any additional suspects been announced.

Because of the questions raised by this story, Sgt. Kenneth Grimes of the Fire Marshal’s Office took the step of confirming that I am not a suspect for the newspaper.

I appreciate the cooperation and clarity, but I am disappointed it was needed.

I also was annoyed that the Kennebec Journal used my name and that of the governor to promote this story on twitter. I have respected this paper’s coverage decisions over the past months, but using my name to hype a criminal investigation is over the line.

This is a serious criminal investigation. People lost their homes, a man was injured and property was destroyed. It deserves fair and accurate reporting free of sensationalism. It deserves better than what it got last week in the Kennebec Journal. And so do I.

Dan Demeritt

Sidney


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