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The student news site of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois.

The Daily Eastern News

The student news site of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois.

The Daily Eastern News

Ben Zigterman, reporter for the News-Gazette, and Joe Astrouski, journalism professor and former reporter for WAND-TV, refer to the projector of slides during their discussion detailing their personal experiences covering the kidnapping and murder trial of Yingying Zhang, a crop scientist from the University of Illinois, Wednesday at the Doudna Fine Arts Center’s Lecture Hall. During the discussion, Zigterman and Astrouski played a wired recording in which Brendt Christensen, the graduate student from the U of I who was convicted for Zhang’s abduction and murder, confesses to his ex-girlfriend (the person wearing the wire) the crime. In the recording, Christensen is heard saying that he choked Zhang for 10 minutes while she struggled. Zigterman said that recording helped expose how truly “debased” Christensen was.

Journalists talk covering Yingying Zhang murder trial

Ryan Meyer, Staff Reporter February 20, 2020

Two reporters who covered the kidnapping and murder trial of University of Illinois student Yingying Zhang in 2017, Ben Zigterman of the News-Gazette and Eastern’s own journalism instructor Joe Astrouski,...

We must stop glorifying mass murder

Logan Raschke, News Editor April 4, 2019

A few days ago, my roommate said something that really took me by surprise. She doesn’t really watch documentaries that often, so I, being a huge documentary fan, was listing off several films of recommendation. I...

Criminologists will love ‘Mindhunter’

Logan Raschke, News Editor March 28, 2019

“Mindhunter” is a must-watch for deviant psychology education fans, serial killer documentary enthusiasts and any (borderline cliché) cop show lovers. David Fincher, the director of the cult classic...

CAA to discuss new courses, revisions

Corryn Brock, Associate News Editor January 9, 2019

The Council on Academic Affairs will meet to discuss the addition and revision of courses Thursday to in Room 4440 of Booth Library at 2 p.m. ANT 3258, The Anthropology of Violence & Warfare, will...

Criminology, criminal justice not just for police officers

Hannah Shillo, Campus Reporter December 3, 2018

The Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology department is home to the new criminology and criminal justice major offered on Eastern’s campus for the first time at the beginning of this semester. Michael...

CAA discusses interdisciplinary programs, geology and geography

Brooke Schwartz, Administration Reporter November 2, 2017

A lack of faculty members has left the geology and geography department with some challenges, but they have been working on keeping the program up-to-date, according to Diane Burns, chair of the geology...

CAA adds criminology major, changes chemistry name

Samuel Nusbaum, Administration Reporter December 8, 2016

  The Council on Academic Affairs passed a new criminology major and changed the name of the chemistry department to chemistry and biochemistry at their meeting Thursday. Darren Hendrickson,...

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