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TMZ death photo of Liam Payne causes pain and backlash

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TMZ death photo of Liam Payne causes pain and backlash

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People fall. Sometimes they get pushed, sometimes they get too close to the edge.

Sometimes they jump.

We don't know what happened to Liam Payne other than he was on the balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires and then down on the floor. And at 31 he's dead.

The news broke late Wednesday and like so many shocking celebrity revelations before it, many learned about it via gossip website TMZ. But fans who clicked on an alert, tweet or even a link shared via text message were shocked to see a cropped image of Payne's lifeless body alongside TMZ's coverage of the One Direction singer's death. The website later removed the image.

No matter how he died, we didn't need to see any photos.

People were taken aback by the graphic image, but maybe we shouldn't be. After all, this is the same channel that was tasered by police at the scene of Kobe Bryant's death, the channel that distorted the news of Tom Petty's death and shared the grainy, suspiciously sourced footage of Solange and Jay-Z's infamous elevator brawl. The Associated Press has standards when it comes to reporting deaths – guidelines for the rare cases when it's OK to include graphic images and details – at least they should. But that night, according to an early AP story, we know the sound that came when his body hit the ground. You described it.

Liam Payne's family is grieving One Direction star dies at 31: “Heartbroken”

To what extent do we have the right to know details about someone's death? What if that person killed themselves instead of being killed by someone else? What if it was an accident or they were impaired by drugs or alcohol?

What if this person was famous?

Do we have a right to know what singer Naomi Judd's daughter told police when she found her mother after attempting suicide? Judd later died and her daughters sued her to keep these conversations secret.

What if it was your mother?

In 2012 it was mine.

The day after my sweet mother, a grandma of eight and retired nurse, jumped into the Grand Canyon, I read about it in my hometown newspaper. It was under the “Most Read” section of the newspaper's home page: Woman Who Died in Canyon Id'd.

We are taught that details matter when telling stories. An early lesson in journalism: Get the dog's name. It helps you socialize, care, and even understand. But how much do we need to know? And if we know, how much do we as media have to share?

I've thought about this a lot in the years since my mother died. I interviewed psychologists and historians, professors and doctors.

Many researchers and psychologists will say that destigmatizing suicide can lead to fewer deaths, that it will be helpful to talk about it, write about it, and make discussion of mental health issues part of our conversation. Yet we're talking about it more than ever, and the national suicide rate has steadily risen over the past two decades.

Gen Z and Millennials devastated Liam Payne's death hurts – even for those who weren't One Direction fans

The way we have covered suicide has evolved over the years: in the 18th century, deaths by suicide were treated as everyday events, alongside stories about town meetings. Later, newspapers began reporting suicides with more judgment, describing them as a rash act. Then there were years when we didn't write about her at all, as if no one had died that way.

Our reporting has evolved and we now have guidelines from organizations that help journalists write about trauma and death.

We find our way, often guided by wise voices.

We know you shouldn't take a photo of a dead body. But what about 911 tapes? When does the public have a right to information? What does transparency mean to make our world safer? Payne's girlfriend, singer Alessia Cara, called TMZ about the photos.

It may seem ironic that a journalist whose job it is to gather facts and publish stories would question the withholding of information. Does the never-ending news cycle, constant alerts and sharing of information on social media before it is verified creates this culture where we believe we have the right to know everything immediately?

Do families need to hear about the death of their loved ones from the media? What if they are famous? Does living in public negate their rights or our humanity?

And I ask myself whether I can contribute to this culture as a journalist. Payne's death hits hard for so many reasons. He was 31. He has a 7 year old child, sisters and parents.

We don't have to add anything.

If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call or text or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services.

Laura Trujillo, USA TODAY's Life & Entertainment Editor, is the author of “Stepping Back From the Ledge: A Daughter's Search for Truth and Renewal.”

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