Gatekeeping news in small communities and as a public figure is a heavy weight, and this week it was mine to bear.

A story in today’s edition describes an incident occurring in the Barry County jail on April 1, 2022, involving a deputy and an inmate.

This incident was first brought to my attention a week after it happened. At that time, videos had been released depicting alleged assault on the part of the former jail administrator. After our coverage of those videos, I received a screenshot from the video in today’s story, showing the moment a deputy allegedly choked an inmate in four-point restraints.

This week, when asked if he was aware of that situation, Sheriff Danny Boyd said the deputy was given a written reprimand and ordered to pass a deescalation training, which he did.

More than a year later, I was approached by Terry Burgess, Seligman police officer who has announced he is running against Barry County Sheriff Danny Boyd for the post in 2024. Burgess had submitted a Sunshine request to the city of Cassville and obtained the video and report of the incident, turning over the information should I choose to report it.

It is hardly ever an easy decision to choose a course of action in these instances, and at first, I didn’t.

I sat on this information for nearly two months, fighting a battle in my head over ethics, fairness and duty.

Many will say Burgess’ release of this information served a political purpose. I said it to him when he presented it to me.

Ultimately, I chose to move forward with a story and video release because of my duty as the publisher of a small town newspaper.

I consulted other professional colleagues on how to proceed fairly and ethically, and I sent all materials to my attorney for review. With every box I checked, I felt the weight mount.

I do not enjoy writing these stories. I receive calls and letters frequently urging me to report on things that have trivial merit or I can only consider as rumor. All my crime reporting comes directly from court documents or a primary source, and even with primary sources, I have to independently verify. I take this responsibility incredibly seriously and do not promise or lead anyone on that I will report what I cannot.

In this case, the paper trail was there. I felt my duty to Dylan Bicksler, the man under arrest in the video, and anyone else who may find themselves in a similar position, was paramount. My hope is from this instance, more positive outcomes will come to bear.

When it comes to the sheriff and his 2024 opponent, Burgess said Boyd did not take action, and Boyd said he did. It is not my place to determine who is right or who is wrong, but to present the information fairly for the public to assess.

There is one positive outcome in that Bicksler is going on a year sober and is working to move past the time in his life that landed him in his situation.

I salute him and hope his recovery continues. I am also optimistic about providing more coverage of the sheriff’s office. Sheriff Boyd and I have set a weekly meeting starting next week, and I am very much interested in working with him to provide fair coverage of his office.

Boyd said to me on Tuesday something every sheriff before him has also said, “You don’t know until you sit in this chair.”

I firmly believe that, and I want to foster that understanding.

My ongoing goal with law enforcement coverage is to a transparent and fair.

Kyle Troutman has served as the editor of the Cassville Democrat since 2014 and became Publisher in 2023. He was named William E. James/Missouri Outstanding Young Journalist for daily newspapers in 2017, and he won a Golden Dozen Award from ISWINE in 2022. He may be reached at 417-847-2610 or ktroutman@cassville-
democrat.com.