A real snapshot of the world - media (both social and traditional) contribute because they want a good story and don't bother with truth or fact checking. It's been happening in the world of the law and justice for years.

An example of the way fear and panic rule the world of law and justice appeared in Matthew Scott's recent assessment of the Rolf Harris Court of Appeal verdict:

"All too often over the years the Court of Appeal has been reluctant to quash convictions where reasonable doubt exists, seemingly terrified by the appalling vista that to admit that juries make mistakes will undermine the whole justice system. It sometimes seems, even now, that the Court sees its role as upholding convictions wherever possible, when it should be its job to scrutinise them with the utmost care."

Why fear undermining the whole system when it is broken anyway?