Trenton Duckett Missing: Did the Media and Nancy Grace Push Melinda Duckett Over the Edge to Suicide?
Lets start out by saying that 2 year old Trenton Duckett is still missing. The focus should 
be on the missing boy and his whereabouts. Instead the media has made the story about the media. It is disturbing that certain shows have only covered this story after Melinda Duckett committed suicide rather than when Trenton Duckett went missing.
The question has arose, did an over-zealous media and Nancy Grace push Melinda Duckett, the mother of missing Trenton Duckett, over the emotional edge to commit suicide? Melinda’s grandparents seem to think so.
Duckett’s grandparents said she was fed up with the coverage that unfairly scrutinized her.
“Nancy Grace and the others, they just bashed her to the end,” Duckett’s grandfather Bill Eubank told the Associated Press. “She wasn’t one anyone ever would have thought of to do something like this. She and that baby just loved each other, couldn’t get away from each other. She wouldn’t hurt a bug.”
It is obvious to many that a decision, or one should say a lack of thought to determine to take one’s life is a result a a multitude of many factors. Was the manner in how Melinda Duckett was treated on the Nancy Grace show the only factor that resulted in Duckett’s suicide? No; however, it was most likely a contributing factor and one that may have been the final straw.
The Nancy Grace Show had the following comment to make in responding to the allegation that they were to blame for Melinda Duckett’s suicide.
Janine Iamunno, a spokeswoman for Grace, said in an e-mail that Duckett’s death was “an extremely sad development” but that the program would continue covering the case. “We feel a responsibility to bring attention to this case in the hopes of helping find Trenton Duckett, who remains missing,” Iamunno said.
Also, Nancy Grace responded to a callers question the other night as to if she felt responsible for Melinda Duckett’s death in any way. 
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My question is, you are such a good interviewer and everything. I just wonder, with the pressure that you put on the mother with your questions your last show, is there any possible way that you feel you might have somehow pushed her over the edge or contributed to her suicide?
GRACE: You know, Stan, speaking as one that knows firsthand, when you suffer a tragic loss, you look for somebody to blame. You look hard. I do not feel that our show is to blame for what happened to Melinda Duckett. The truth, Stan, is not always nice or polite or easy to go down. Sometimes it`s harsh, and it hurts.
I`d like to also point out that Melinda committed suicide before that interview ever aired. It had never gone to air. The purpose of this show is all about finding Trenton Duckett. That`s what we`re about. And I`d like to also point out that, seemingly, police agreed with my line of questioning. You`ve got to know that we are deeply saddened to learn about her death, Melinda Duckett`s, the mother of Trenton, the day after she taped our program. It was last week.I hope the viewers keep in mind that this show is one of the single most active in looking for missing children. And as part of that, I often — always, I would hope, I ask parents the same questions I would ask any mom and dad about an investigation in a missing child case, where they were when the child went missing, what happened, what`s the timeline, anything to help find that missing child. I also ask whether the parents have taken a polygraph, as I did with Melinda. And at that point, and at this point, Trenton is still missing, and our focus is on finding him.
The response that Nancy Grace gives to the question does beg the question as to whether they went too far. She states, “the truth is not always nice or polite”. Does anyone think that either Nancy Grace or her producers when booking this interview made those types of comments to Melinda Duckett? Does anyone believe in order to get Melinda Duckett to come on the Nancy Grace Show that the following line was used to entice her, “Sometimes it`s harsh, and it hurts”? Hardly. For those that state they Melinda Duckett knew what she was getting into when she went on the Nancy Grace Show, I would say … did she really? Those that are familiar with Nancy Grace know she a a tough nosed, ex-prosecutor and a rather in-your-face interviewer. Personally, I have never had a problem with Nancy Grace. However, when one is dealing with a parent of a missing child there is another whole level of decorum. Approximately 537,000 watch the Nancy Grace show according to the last reports. There are approximately 300,000,000 people in the United States. You do the math, think its possible a 21 year old divorced mom has ever seen the show? Its hardly the demographic that they are going after.
What is even more bizarre than the overzealousness of the interview was the comment by Nancy Grace stating that she was not responsible because, “I`d like to also point out that Melinda committed suicide before that interview ever aired. It had never gone to air”. So what? This is your defense? Melinda Duckett would not have had to seen the interview to get emotionally upset to commit suicide, she took part in the interview. She would have been upset at the time of the taping of the show Nancy, not when she saw it. As reported, it was the grilling she received during the taping of the show that the grandparents are claiming, not the actual video.
Two weeks after telling police that her son had been snatched from his crib, Melinda Duckett found herself reeling in an interview with television’s famously prosecutorial Nancy Grace. Before it was over, Grace was pounding her desk and loudly demanding to know: “Where were you? Why aren’t you telling us where you were that day?”
When reading the actual 9/8/06 transcripts of the Nancy Grace Show one can plainly see 
how a calm introduction referencing “a mothers worst nightmare” turned into a relentless attack on Melinda Duckett regarding the polygraph and if Melinda had taken one. Then came the time line badgering. Nancy grace prides herself on being a prosecutor, yet such actions on her part would never have been tolerated in a court of law. I am sure Nancy is familiar with the court room term, “asked and answered” and “objection, badgering the witness.”
Was Nancy Grace in part responsible for the death of Melinda Duckett? The answer most likely is … could very well be. Did anyone at the Nancy Grace Show take into consideration the emotional or mental state of Melinda Duckett prior to the interview? Did anyone care is probably more to the point. However, that being said it is very likely if Melinda was as unstable as she seemed to be that she may have committed suicide at some point later. Which brings me to my biggest issues with what the media and Nancy Grace did.
1. The media is not the DA’s office even if they may have been one at some point in their career. They should never interfere in a case to the point where they actually affect the on going case.
2. Who does not think the line of questioning done by Nancy Grace would have been asked by the local police as well who had a better understanding what Melinda Duckett’s psychological make up may have been? Knowing what, when and how to ask the question.
3. Lie detector tests are not DNA. There is a reason why these things are inadmissible in a court of law. Serial killer Ted Bundy passed it with flying colors. A person who was an emotional wreck may not even have a shot of passing, even if they were innocent.
4. Melinda Duckett was a divorsed, 21 year old single mom. She was in the middle of a horrific divorce and custody battle where both sides seemed to be as bad as the other. reports are that she had been laid off and was having money issues. Then her child goes missing. Then a long comes Nancy Grace with all the finesse and compassion in the world.
5. These are missing persons cases. For anyone who has experienced a child missing or been involved in a missing persons case, they are an emotional roller coaster nightmare. There has to be a certain amount of deference given when reporting and questioning. We all want the truth to come out; however, sometimes it has to come out in its own time.
6. What if Melinda Duckett was responsible for Trenton’s disappearance by accident or on purpose? What if it was only a matter of time before the right button was pressed and she confessed? What if in dealing with guilt and realizing what she had done she later still committed suicide? However, in doing so in her own terms she may have left a note as to what happened and where Trenton may be. Now, we will never know.
7. What if she is innocent and had emotional and mental issues that were pushed to the brink?
In the end what is the result of what was done in the Nancy Grace interview? Most likely people will not want to come on the show for fear of being attacked. That hardly serves Nancy Grace nor the spread of information of a missing person story. The media has effectively interjected themsleves into the case and become the story rather than reorting the story. That is the true tragedy … as Trenton Duckett is still missing.
The fact of the matter is that the media does serve a purpose and play a role in missing persons cases. Their job is to report and disseminate information to the public. There job is not to ambush, interrogate or prosecute a crime that they do not even know what may have taken place. It has been stated by Nancy Grace on a recent show that she was outraged that others would make money off of others pain. Well Nancy, what do you think you do for a job? There is a place for the media as long as it is a win-win situation.
Getting the word out on missing person cases is crucial. The more eyes the better. One never knows if they will spot a missing, abducted or exploited child. For that the media can make all the ad revenue they want. However, too many media outlets only covered the story of missing 2 year old Trenton Duckett after Melinda committed suicide. What is that about?
Its not about the media … its about TRENTON DUCKETT.
HELP FIND TRENTON DUCKETT. Pray that he is found safe.