To the editor:

The headline in the Oct. 13 edition of the Lawrence-Journal World, “Man convicted of ’94 double murder freed from prison,” is misleading and exemplifies implicit bias, that is, the stereotypes that impact our decisions unconsciously. If readers only read the headline, they would be justified in assuming a murderer had been released from prison. In fact, as the article explains, Lamonte McIntyre was declared innocent after having served 23 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. The headline should read “Man exonerated after 23 years in prison” or “Innocent man freed after 23 years in prison.” Please exercise more caution in reporting and printing these kinds of stories in the future. Now more than ever we need unbiased news sources which do not feed the fears that divide us.