James C. McKinley Jr.

James Courtright McKinley Jr. (born 1962) is an American journalist for The New York Times. He is currently an assistant editor on the Metro desk at The New York Times specializing in criminal justice and law enforcement overseeing criminal justice reporters.

Early life and education McKinley grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. He is the son of James C. McKinley, former University of Missouri, Kansas City (UMKC) English professor, editor of New Letters, and writer and Mary Ann Underwood, a former continuing education program manager also at UMKC. McKinley has three siblings: His younger brother Jesse McKinley is currently Albany bureau chief at The New York Times; his brother Gabe McKinley also worked at The New York Times for over 12 years and is now a playwright; and sister Molly McKinley also worked at The Times before moving into a career in film and television as an editor and writer based out of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

In 1984, McKinley earned a B.A. in English literature from Cornell University. In 1986, he received an M.A. from University of Missouri School of Journalism.

Career McKinley began his career in journalism while still in college, working for local radio stations in Ithaca and stringing for The Syracuse Post Standard from 1982 to 1985.

McKinley was the editor of the local New York City paper, West Side Spirit. He was an editor and staff writer at The Greenwich Time, the Greenwich, Connecticut daily.

He currently works as an editor on the Metro desk specializing in criminal justice and law enforcement.

Controversy On March 8, 2011, The New York Times published an article by McKinley on the rape of an eleven-year-old girl in the East Texas town of Cleveland. The story prompted outrage, not only because of the crime involved - a gang rape perpetrated by 18 boys and men - but also because of criticism over how McKinley framed the piece: relying heavily on quotes from individuals who blamed the victim, scant attention to reporting details on the boys and men involved, and an overemphasis on the impoverished environment where the assault occurred.

On March 11, 2011, The New York Times public editor Arthur R. Brisbane agreed that the piece lacked critical balance by relying heavily on quotes from individuals who expressed concern for the perpetrators, as well as detailing the victim's appearance. McKinley and The New York Times, Brisbane determined, created an impression that the victim "had it coming". Brisbane never interviewed McKinley, nor his editors, before writing his column.

On March 29, 2011, the Times published a second article by McKinley and Erica Goode that delved more deeply into the criminal backgrounds of many of the alleged rapists as well as the family of the victim which left no doubt the girl was the victim of a horrendous crime.

Personal life McKinley is married and has two children.

Selected works and publications