Tomás de Jesús Mangual (October 5, 1944–October 31, 2011) was a
Puerto Rican investigative reporter who worked for El Vocero, a well-known newspaper in Puerto Rico.
Career
Mangual served in the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
era. Joined
El Vocero
''El Vocero de Puerto Rico'' is a Puerto Rican free newspaper that is published in San Juan. Published since 1974, ''El Vocero'' was at first the third of the four largest Puerto Rico newspapers, trailing '' El Mundo'' and ''El Nuevo Día'' and ...
, a well-known Puerto Rican newspaper, during the 1970s. While he was not the only reporter covering crime stories for El Vocero, his name was the most recognizable. His trademark was the usage of Puerto Rican slang terms, such as (The person ran like a soul possessed by the Devil). Another one of his stories began with "A well-aimed stab to the heart..."
His writing style earned him awards, but also criticism.
Criminal libel laws of Puerto Rico lawsuit
For many years, Mangual investigated crimes committed by politicians and police officers and was told he would be sued for libel by those he was investigating. In response, in 2003 Mangual became party to a lawsuit that said Puerto Rico's criminal libel laws were against
Freedom of the Press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic News media, media, especially publication, published materials, should be conside ...
. The lawsuit resulted in the criminal libel laws of Puerto Rico being struck down for being unconstitutional.
Mangual died in
Mayaguez and is interred at the Las Mercedes Cemetery in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
See also
*
List of Puerto Ricans
References
1944 births
2011 deaths
Burials at Cementerio Las Mercedes
Puerto Rican journalists
United States Army soldiers
20th-century American journalists
American male journalists
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