It seems like it’s just another day in sports when an athlete is accused of domestic violence. It’s not uncommon to see big names in the sports’ world followed by the words, “A domestic violence investigation will ensue.”

It is almost as common to see those names accompanied by the words, “Insufficient evidence” or “the charges have been dropped.”

And so it goes: Accused, media coverage, charges dropped, no media coverage. But the media coverage in particular is a crucial part of any legal investigation; it can lead viewers, very clearly, in one way or the other.

With the recent discovery that Cincinnati Reds pitcher Aroldis Chapman was allegedly involved in an  domestic violence incident, and a league that is ripe with these kinds of incidents, it’s worth taking a second look at the source of the news.

Yahoo! first reported the story, bringing to light a police report that said that Chapman, “allegedly fired eight gunshots in the garage of his Miami-area home following an October argument with his girlfriend in which she told police he ‘choked’ her and pushed her against a wall.”

Yahoo! also reported that, according to the police report, “No arrests were made after the incident, in which more than a dozen police officers were dispatched to Chapman’s home in Davie, Fla., around 11 p.m. on Oct. 30. Chapman’s girlfriend exited the house and hid in bushes following the argument that stemmed from something she found on Chapman’s cellphone.”

A dozen police officers. A woman hiding in the bushes.

So. What would the headlines say?

The New York Times reported on the story. Their headline? “Reds’ Aroldis Chapman Named in Domestic Violence Inquiry.” They go on to talk about the crime that Chapman is accused of.

But other news outlets? Not so much.

Many of the opening sentences on ESPN‘s website discuss the prospect of Chapman not being traded.

FOX Sports ran a caption on Chapman’s picture that read, “Aroldis Chapman was supposed to be traded to the Dodgers, but now his future is up in the air.”

His future is up in the air.

Yes, that’s correct. But here’s what the caption should’ve read.

“Because of the ongoing investigation for domestic abuse centering around him, Aroldis Chapman’s future is now up in the air.”

See what I did there? I empathized the real problem at hand: Domestic violence. Not whether the Dodgers will get another reliever, or if Chapman will be paid some obscenely large amount of money.

But, even more than the media, it begs the question of the ethics of the parties involved.

The Boston Red Sox, who, in early November were looking to acquire Chapman, passed on the reliever after learning of the incident, according to the Boston Globe. If the Red Sox knew, it’s safe to assume that the Dodgers, the Reds, and probably even MLB itself knew about it.

Why did the Dodgers say yes, when the Sox said no?

The information obtained by Yahoo! was via a police report. Police reports are public records, meaning anyone could access them.

I’m not here to comment on whether Chapman is guilty or not. That’s why we have a justice system in this county. But the way this incident–and incidents involving MLB and its players–has been handled is absolutely appalling.

I’ve heard analysts on news stations like MLB Network and ESPN talking about the issue. And I’ve heard far too much, “Yeah, he may be accused of a heinous crime, but let’s talk about that 100 mile and hour fastball!” and not enough, “Today, Aroldis Chapman was accused of a heinous crime. We’re talking about that today.”

With any legal investigation, it’s important to remember that a party is innocent until proven guilty. But it’s also to important to remember that sports aren’t everything–the importance of an athlete’s career should not come before the importance of another human being’s safety.