. . . to use the clerk's full name of Michael Ernest Layoux?
It's
not wrong to use middle names or middle initials, but here's a good
rule of thumb: if you feel the name is so common where a middle name is
needed to distinguish a person from others with a similar name, then
you may want to use a middle name or initial. Like with former MSU
football coach John L. Smith.
But if you feel the name is fairly unique, it's less necessary. Like with Omar Sofradzija.
BTW,
you may have noticed serial killers or mass murderers or criminals of
the highest profile are often referred to with a middle name included
(like John Wayne Gacy, Lee Harvey Oswald, ect.). That's because with a
crime so heinous, you want to go the extra mile to make sure you're
identifying the right guy.
For a guide, please look under AP Style under middle names.
One more BTW ... did
you need to use Layoux's name in the lede, or would it be sufficient to
identify him in the generic as a 22-year-old clerk in the lede and then
name him in the nut graf? What did you do, and why did you do it?
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