WRKO/Boston Host's Comments Draw Fire

ENTERCOM Talk WRKO-A/BOSTON midday host JOHN DEPETRO is defending himself against a wave of criticism for his comments about a young BOSTON woman found raped and murdered in NEW YORK. DEPETRO said on WEDNESDAY's show (3/1) that IMETTE ST. GULLEN, whose fate has dominated BOSTON and NEW YORK tabloid front pages this week, as "asking for trouble" by being out alone and drinking with strangers at 4 am and suggesting that women use "common sense." DEPETRO tells the BOSTON HERALD that he is not blaming the woman for her own murder, explaining that “as tragic as it is, your first reaction is she should not have been out alone at 3 or 4 a.m. in the morning because look at what can happen. I wasn’t wrong. I went on the air and people said I was right on.” 

I wasnâ??t wrong. I went on the air and people said I was right on.

Representatives of women's groups in BOSTON voiced criticism of DEPETRO's comments, although TONI K. TROOP of JANE DOE INC. admitted she hadn't actually heard the show but called DEPETRO's comments "beyond insulting" anyway.  The BOSTON chapter of the NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN also criticized the comments.

“There are too many wackos out there," DEPETRO told the HERALD. "Women have to take more protections and be more guarded. It’s so sad she just didn’t leave with her friend."

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