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Growing up, I was always told to not speak ill of the dead.

But what about when there’s bad news about the deceased that’s newsworthy? It’s a tough call. Right now, many in Boston are trying to figure out where the line is drawn.

Two Boston firefighters died in the line of duty late August, trying to put out a blaze in a Chinese restaurant. They were praised citywide as heroes. Two Boston Globe headlines around the time of their funeral read “A Solemn Farewell” and “Love Infuses Firefighters’ Rites.” A local newspaper editorial read "The Grieving Process Has Begun."

Then came the bombshell.

Last Thursday’s Globe article shocked the city:

One of two Boston firefighters who died fighting a fire in a Chinese restaurant in late August was legally intoxicated at the time, and the other had cocaine in his system, two officials said yesterday…

A government official briefed on the findings of the state medical examiner's office said [Paul J.] Cahill registered a blood-alcohol level of .27 in the autopsy, which would have placed him at more than three times the legal limit, while [Warren J.] Payne had cocaine in his system.

Neither official was specific about the amount of cocaine found in the firefighter.

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