CHAINS BAR GLOBE OVER CRIME PHOTOS

AMITY K. MOORE

BOULDER, Colo. -- Several leading grocery operators have banned the Jan. 21 issue of The Globe, a supermarket tabloid, because the publication ran photos of the crime scene where JonBenet Ramsey was killed here in her home Dec. 26.

The murder has attracted nationwide attention because of the brutality of the murder of the 6-year-old, who was a beauty contest winner.

Russ Dispense, vice president of marketing at King Soopers, Denver, said the chain was cooperating with police officials who requested the photos be excluded from any media coverage. "The authorities said that this type of evidence, if released, could compromise the investigation," he added.

Safeway banned the issue companywide. "This is very rare for us to do this. We don't see this as a censorship issue; we see this as assisting law enforcement," said Debra Lambert, corporate director of public affairs at Safeway, Pleasanton, Calif.

Boise, Idaho-based Albertson's said its shoppers were supportive of its decision to remove the publication from shelves in stores chainwide.

"We review our magazines on a case-by-case basis, and try to make the most appropriate decision in terms of what the majority of our customers would prefer. In this case, we feel like we made the right decision," said the operator's media relations coordinator, Jenny Enochson.

None of the retailers interviewed could comment on how their magazine and tabloid sales might be affected by the ban.