Sun retrains staff after Clarkson's 'selfish' suicides jibe

Tabloid newspaper The Sun has agreed to offer its staff training on reporting on suicide following a complaint by five suicide prevention and mental health support organizations, including Samaritans. The complaint centered on an article by columnist Jeremy Clarkson, which the groups characterized as containing “graphic imagery” and a “flippant” tone that “violated the dignity of people who had died by suicide and intruded into the grief of their families.” Clarkson had (among a number of other comments) characterized people who died by jumping in front of trains as “selfish.” Samaritans will offer the training and will be involved in future discussions with The Sun about reporting on suicide.