Why we decided to post the 911 tape

The decision to post the 911 call placed by Courtland Smith was not an automatic one, and I knew it would be controversial. We owe it to the community to explain why we did.

We did not post the tape for shock value or to boost our Web page views. That would go against everything we stand for at The Daily Tar Heel.

We, like everyone else in the community, are searching for answers. Especially in this case, when so much is unknown and the word of authorities is particularly in doubt, it's hard to come to grips with what happened and begin to heal.

That's why we posted the tape. If you feel like listening to the tape will be able to help you understand what happened, please listen.

We've also decided to not allow comments on our stories about Courtland after beginning to receive hateful and malicious messages. While we want interaction between our readers and the newsroom, allowing this type of comments would be irresponsible and damaging to the community.

For tomorrow's paper, we will have coverage of his memorial. We also want to be able to paint a picture of who he was and how he will be remembered. If you have memories of Courtland Smith, please share them with us. You can also call (919) 962-0372.