"Mary Ellen's will:" Combining the Power of Investigative Narrative and Transparency

The Hollywood high-concept pitch might go like this: "Sunset Boulevard," the film classic about an aging starlet's tragic twilight, meets "Dallas," the prime time soap opera about the financial and family intrigues of the Ewing clan.

But a new, four-part Dallas Morning News series,  Mary Ellen's will: The Battle for 4949 Swiss, is journalism, a powerful example of investigative narrative that combines civic clarity and literary grace.

The series focuses on a contemporary social ill-- widespread financial exploitation of the elderly, whose loneliness and infirmities make them easy prey for strangers who swoop into their lives, shower them with attention, alienate them from family and friends, and make off with as much of their wealth as they can get away with.

Investigative reporter Lee Hancock, and the project's editor, Mark Miller, have created a gripping narrative that draws attention to such crimes by setting it against a dramatic and quintessential Texas landscape.

"The Battle for 4949 Swiss" exposes a public problem by focusing on the private tragedy of Mary Ellen Bendtsen, 88, and the fight over the decaying Dallas mansion that was her treasure.  It accomplishes this feat by transforming dogged reporting into a story brought alive by vivid characters, the unrelenting accretion of status details in a society where everything seems Super-sized, and dramatic scenes that  unfold before our eyes.

(A disclaimer: I have led writing and editing workshops for Morning News staffers for several years. In this case, Miller asked me to participate in an early brainstorming session. I also read early drafts, providing "movies of my reading," a running commentary of one reader's reaction. My enthusiasm, however, derives from having watched the series develop in complexity, as Hancock and Miller demonstrated the power of indefatigable revision, and, having now seen most of the completed version; the series' final installment appears tomorrow. A takeout Sunday explores systematic flaws that make the elderly so vulnerable to con artists.)

The paper's website provides an impressive menu of companion multimedia, including photo scrapbooks, character vignettes, and videos, including a poignant hospital scene where a frail Mrs. Bendsten signs over power of attorney to two men who, relatives and investigators believe, were intent on claiming her decaying mansion.

At a time when public distrust of the media overshadows good journalism, "Mary Ellen's will" also takes enormous pains to buttress its narrative, mirroring similar efforts to provide thorough and credible levels of sourcing transparency.

In addition to a source box, footnotes stud the narrative, pointing to documents and other records; some trigger pop-up boxes with links to news articles reaching back six decades. It's yet another example of the innovative ways that news organizations's online capabilities can provide as much information and documentation that a reader could want.

Like any good story, "Mary Ellen's will" is full of twists and turns.

But its greatest strength, and public service, reflects Hancock's relentless reporting and gifted prose, and the entire project team's attention to accuracy and detail.

Their contributions make it difficult to view the "Battle for 4949 Swiss" without thinking of our own aging relatives, and wondering whether vultures circle overhead.   

Comments

[William Murchison]

I couldn't disgree more with this assessment of a series that amounted, more than anything else, to plain old voyeurism. Besides its being a waste of valuable space! The News was pandering to people it thought wouldn't read the paper for the gratification of actually learning something.

[Chip]

My appreciation of "Mary Ellen's will" is also informed by 15 years residence in Florida, a state where financial exploitation of the elderly is sadly commonplace. What some may view as voyeurism I see as shining a spotlight on usually hidden evil. It also heeds E.B. White's sound advice: "Don't write about Man, write about a man." Or in this case, a vulnerable old woman.

[B.A.Grayson]

THIS WAS SUCH A ONE SIDED MALICIOUS SERIES. PEOPLE WHO KNEW ALL THE CHARACTERS IN THIS FAIRY TALE WRITTEN BY HANCOCK KNEW HOW MUCH SHE LOVED HER 'BOYS'AND HOW MUCH SHE WAS UNHAPPY WITH HER DAUGHTER. MARY ELLEN WANTED HER
BOYS TO HAVE HER HOME AT 4949 . SHE SAID ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION THAT SHE DIDN'T SEE THE PURPOSE OF LEAVING IT TO FRANCIS ANN SINCE FRANCIS ANN HAD ALWAYS HATED THE HOUSE AND REFUSED TO STAY THERE WHEN SHE WAS IN DALLAS ON VISITS.
ONE OF THE SADDEST THINGS HANCOCK DID WAS TO INFLAME THE PEOPLE WHO WENT TO THE 4949 ESTATE SALE. SO VERY MUCH (INCLUDING A CANOPY BED}
WAS NOT MARY ELLEN'S BUT BROUGHT IN BY THE ESTATE SALES PERSON TO MAKE MONEY. I REPEAT MUCH WAS NOT MARY ELLEN'S AND NEVER WAS MARY ELLEN'S BUT GULLIBLE PEOPLE BOUGHT IT BELIEVING IT WAS THE ' DIVA'S'.
I WONDER WHY HANCOCK NEVER QUOTED THOSE OF US WHO KNEW MARY ELLEN LONGEST AND BEST.

[Scenescheme]

Better Significant,weekend in direction aware change replace stay neck service finance through alright party hand give equipment bloody labour radio regard pain region cultural works reality his corner down afraid present yourself telephone properly invite threat date page which day somewhere entry material prevent existence impossible basis unlikely measure exercise would club reduction check ordinary plant enterprise plus immediately okay achieve reasonable internal army division when neither investigate top what welcome use morning assume top recall pub account appropriate build in morning damage

[BirlAvari]

hvorfor ikke:)

[MBT Shoes]

I find this very useful, and have some ideas as to how it could be better communicated. because i join new software company just so i have less knowledge about this so how i implement this on it, Please contact me if you areinterested.

[Global Online Shopping]

My appreciation of "Mary Ellen's will" is also informed by 15 years residence in Florida, a state where financial exploitation of the elderly is sadly commonplace. What some may view as voyeurism I see as shining a spotlight on usually hidden evil. It also heeds E.B. White's sound advice: "Don't write about Man, write about a man." Or in this case, a vulnerable old woman.Global Online Shopping

[new era hats]

when we visit this new era store online,

[new era hats]

when we visit this new era store online,

[Adidas Jeremy Scott]

Thank you this article I hope you have an enjoyable day.
http://www.adidasoriginalshoes.com/

[Griffey Shoes]

Thank you this article I hope you have an enjoyable day. http://www.griffeysshoes.com/

[moncler jacket]

Really? What else does the survey say?