Regret the Error » oregonian

Not in the club

Craig Silverman — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 12:00:49 +0000

On Aug. 31, 2011, The Oregonian said that a retired federal investigator described Michael Allen “Top Hat” Jones as a former member of the Gypsy Joker Motorcycle Club. Jones denies ever being a member of the club, and The Oregonian has no independent evidence that he was. The Oregonian regrets publication of the statement. Link

Death by media

Craig Silverman — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:00:54 +0000

Former U.S. Rep. Robert Duncan, 89, is living. A Saturday article in some Community News sections mistakenly referred to him as the "late" Robert Duncan. Link

Don’t front on me

Craig Silverman — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:00:22 +0000

A July 16 op-ed column on the Commentary page regarding banning plastic bags said the American Chemistry Council had “spent millions of dollars to create front groups such as the Save the Plastic Bag Coalition.” In fact, the coalition says, it was not created by the American Chemistry Council, nor is it funded or affiliated with it in any way. The Oregonian regrets publication of the error. Link

Speaking ill of the dead

Craig Silverman — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:00:05 +0000

An article in Thursday editions stated that Fouad Kaady, a 27-year-old man shot to death by police in 2005, had a history of mental illness. Police believe he was mentally ill and have since used his case to train for dealing with mentally ill subjects. However, the Kaady family says he had no history of mental illness. Link

Death by media

Craig Silverman — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:00:09 +0000

An obituary published Wednesday for Martha M. Webb, 39, was erroneous. Webb, who lives in Portland, is not deceased. Bateman Carroll Funeral Home was not involved in the placement of the obituary. The Oregonian regrets publication of the error. Link

Thanks, Michelle!

Know thyself

Craig Silverman — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:00:52 +0000

Sportswriter and columnist Brian Meehan, who died Tuesday after heart surgery, worked at New Jersey’s Morristown Daily Record, among other papers, before joining the staff of The Oregonian. An obituary Thursday gave the wrong state for the Morristown paper. Link

Satirical quotes taken for real

Craig Silverman — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 13:00:15 +0000

Retired NBA player Latrell Sprewell did not sign with the Seattle SuperSonics and did not say, “My coach-choking days are behind me. We’re both older and wiser. Besides, I have lawyers to pay and pit bulls to feed.” The item, which appeared in Thursday’s Sports section, came from a satirical column in the Contra Costa Times. Link

Another example here.

Tried in the press

Craig Silverman — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:00:07 +0000

Dallas A. Crockett went to federal prison in 1997 after being convicted of fraud and in 1998 after being convicted of a parole violation related to his fraud conviction. A Dec. 11, 2007, article was imprecise about the reason for his second stint in prison and may have incorrectly implied he was twice convicted of fraud. Additionally, a Dec. 13, 2007, article about Crockett settling with two of three defendants in his defamation lawsuit against them was incorrectly labeled as a public safety item. There is no support for the implication relating to Crockett’s second stint in prison or for the implication that his lawsuit related to criminal activity, and The Oregonian regrets the publication of the original statements. Link

Guess we’ll cancel our application, then

Craig Silverman — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 15:00:00 +0000

A headline on Page One on Saturday should have made clear that Oregon Health & Science University will be studying the effects of meth, not cooking it.
Link

The headline in question? “State’s latest meth cook: OHSU”