Truth will out?

My favorite conservative has just written to point out some words of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy in an opinion throwing out the death penalty for a rapist. The justice, according to CNN, wrote that there would be "difficulties in administering the penalty to ensure its arbitrary and capricious application."

My correspondent adds: "I'm not sure how we conservatives are going to get along if people we depend on, like the Supreme Court, to operate our agenda of repression start being honest about why we do things."

Lest my other favorite conservative take umbrage, let me add that this was all in jest (I think).

As an editor, I noticed an oddity in the CNN account---the rapist's last name also is Kennedy. Some reporters might have written "Justice Anthony Kennedy (no relation)," but the CNN writer wisely refrained. Some explanations are a bridge too far. I remember a reporter who once began a story: "Joe Anonymous (not his real name)."