Miami Herald wins top Esserman-Knight Journalism Award for ‘Guilty of Grief’ series
Miami Herald journalists won first place at the annual Esserman-Knight Journalism Awards this week for their “Guilty of Grief” series, which dived into the systemic failures that led to the killing of a man in a mental health crisis by a Miami-Dade police officer and left his mom in legal trouble.
The series, led by journalists Carol Marbin Miller, Linda Robertson, Camellia Burris and visual and data journalist Susan Merriam, relied on hours of police bodycam footage, thousands of court documents, interviews and other records to tell the saga of Gamaly Hollis and her son Richard Hollis, a 21-year-old with a history of psychiatric problems. He was shot dead by Miami-Dade police officer Jaime Pino during a confrontation. His mother was jailed for nearly a year after protesting on Facebook against Pino. The State Attorney’s Office offered Hollis a plea deal instead of additional jail time a week after the Herald’s series was published.
The project was edited by Curtis Morgan, and supported by visual and data journalists Sohail Al-Jamea, Pierre Taylor, Jose Iglesias and Alie Skowronski, with translations by Andres Viglucci and audience engagement by Carolina Zamora.
“We’re incredibly proud of the work these journalists delivered, and so honored to have it recognized,” said Alex Mena, executive editor of the Miami Herald. “Guilty of Grief was a sensitive and difficult project to land, and one of critical importance in our community. These journalists took great care to plumb the challenges at the intersection of law enforcement and mental health, and did so with compassion and sensitivity to all involved.”
The Esserman-Knight Journalism Awards, which is administered by the nonprofit Miami Foundation, honors “excellence in investigative and public service reporting that exposes injustice, amplifies community voices and holds power to account in South Florida.”
The award, now in its sixth year, comes with a $10,000 prize, and was one of several announced Tuesday night during the 2025 ceremony at the University of Miami’s Newman Alumni Center in Coral Gables.
Miami Herald reporter Carol Marbin Miller thanked the Esserman family for their support of investigative fellows and local reporting. “When you do this, you recognize journalism in the public interest and you incentivize us to do more of it.”
Two other Miami Herald series — “Key Biscayne’s Dark Secret” and “Deal with the Devil” — received honorable mentions in the categories of investigative and public service.
“Key Biscayne’s Dark Secret” by Ana Claudia Chacin and Clara-Sophia Daly focused on how Miami-Dade’s State Attorney’s Office dismissed sexual abuse allegations against a popular gymnastics coach in Key Biscayne. Police arrested Oscar Olea weeks after the Miami Herald reported that former students alleged he sexually abused them.
Sarah Blaskey and Brittany Wallman’s “Deal with the Devil” series detailed how Miami murderer William “Little Bill” Brown was given a sweetheart plea deal and immunity from prosecution for one of Miami’s worst mass shootings. Following the Herald’s reporting, Brown was finally sent to prison.
Created by philanthropists Ronald and Charlene Esserman to help support South Florida journalism, the Esserman-Knight Journalism Awards is supported by the Esserman Family Fund for Investigative Journalism at the Miami Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The Esserman Family Fund for Investigative Journalism also finances two investigative reporting fellowships for early-career reporters at the Miami Herald.
The Herald’s “Guilty of Grief” series recently won several other recognitions, including first place in three categories — investigative reporting, community leadership, enterprise writing — in the 2025 Florida Society of News Editors Journalism Contest. The series was named a finalist in the annual Taylor Family Award for Fairness in Journalism, administered by the Nieman Foundation, and in December, was awarded the Sydney Award by the Sidney Hillman Foundation, which recognizes outstanding investigative journalism that exposes social and economic injustices.
“Key Biscayne’s Dark Secret” and “Deal with the Devil” have also received other recognition recently, including third place at the National Headliner Awards as part of an investigative reporting package.
Also honored: Alberto Ibargüen. He’s the former publisher of the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald, who retired last year after 20 years as president and CEO of the Knight Foundation.
Ibarguen was recognized with the Excellence in Journalism award for his “outstanding leadership dedicated to informed and engaged communities.”
Additionally, South Florida Sun Sentinel reporter Cindy Krischer Goodman and photographer Carline Jean won second place for their project, “Born to Die: Florida’s Infant Mortality Crisis.”
At the event, Dr. Laura Esserman announced that the family would sponsor a new fellowship, a health and science reporter who would report to WLRN public radio.
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This story was originally published June 17, 2025 at 8:25 PM.
