LaVendrick Smith

LaVendrick Smith: A Tenacious Voice in Courts and Crime Reporting

LaVendrick Smith is a breaking news reporter at The Dallas Morning News, specializing in courts, crime, and legal affairs. With a career spanning prestigious newsrooms like The Washington Post and The Charlotte Observer, Smith has built a reputation for rigorous accountability journalism and human-centric storytelling.

Career Trajectory: From High School Newsrooms to National Bylines

• Early Beginnings: Smith’s journalism career began at 17 as an intern at the Mukilteo Beacon, where he mastered foundational reporting skills like the inverted pyramid and source cultivation [1].
• University of Washington: Graduated in 2016 after interning at The Seattle Times and securing the Business Wire Journalism Scholarship [10].
• National Exposure: Contributed to The Washington Post during the 2016 presidential election cycle, sharpening his political and legal reporting [1][6].
• Professional Milestones: Joined The Charlotte Observer in 2017, investigating systemic gaps in DUI enforcement, before moving to The Dallas Morning News in 2018 [4][6].

Key Articles and Impact

"Repeat DUI Offender’s Case Exposes Gaps in State Reporting Systems"

This investigative piece for The Charlotte Observer revealed how a fatal crash involving a repeat DUI offender slipped through bureaucratic cracks. Smith traced the offender’s history across state lines, highlighting failures in inter-state conviction reporting. The article spurred legislative discussions about improving DMV data-sharing protocols [6].

"100,000 Washington Drivers to Have Licenses Reinstated After Court Ruling"

Covering a landmark court decision for Washington State Wire, Smith analyzed the socioeconomic implications of license suspensions for unpaid tickets. His reporting underscored how poverty criminalization disproportionately affects marginalized communities, earning recognition from advocacy groups [5].

Beat Analysis and Pitching Recommendations

Focus on Systemic Inequities in Criminal Justice

Smith prioritizes stories that expose flaws in legal systems, such as racial disparities in sentencing or loopholes in DUI laws. Pitches should emphasize data-driven angles or personal narratives illustrating systemic failures, akin to his work on license reinstatements [5][6].

Localized Breaking News with Wider Implications

While covering Dallas crime, Smith often connects local incidents to broader trends, like policing reforms or court backlogs. Successful pitches will highlight how a local case reflects regional or national patterns, similar to his reporting on interstate DUI reporting gaps [6].

Awards and Achievements

“I walked away having learned so much and feeling so inspired to pursue this as a career.” – LaVendrick Smith on his internship experiences [1]

• Business Wire Journalism Scholarship (2015): Awarded for academic excellence and commitment to ethical reporting, supporting his education at the University of Washington [10].
• Washington Post Internship (2016): Selected for a competitive role during a high-stakes election cycle, honing his ability to distill complex legal and political developments [1][6].

Pitching Tips

• Lead with data: Smith often uses public records to anchor investigations. Provide accessible datasets or FOIA findings relevant to courts or policing.
• Humanize systemic issues: Stories like his DUI investigation [6] succeed by pairing policy analysis with victim/advocate voices.