News from Steve Coll at Columbia
Posted on March 18th, 2015 in Uncategorized | 12 Comments »
One of you readers tweeted something about my post below, and Steve Coll did respond; he wrote that his investigation of the Rolling Stone story on gang rape at UVA would be “coming soon—weeks not months exact date TK.”
TK is journalistic shorthand for “information to come.” (Long story.)
I appreciate that Coll did in fact take the time to respond. And frankly, I can’t wait for this report; it should be fascinating.
12 Responses
3/18/2015 11:10 am
I wonder why it’s taking so long? The Washington Post was able to get to the bottom of this story in just a few weeks, so why does Columbia need over three months to accomplish the same task?
3/18/2015 3:42 pm
Rolling Stone is hoping that this “review” gets dragged out as along as possible as the story moves away from public consciousness, and we move to the other bigger scandal of the day.
What is really amazing is that the author is still completely under the radar; not a peep from her once the story fell apart.
Damage has been done however. UVA has implemented more stringent rules to fraternities because of this article, even though it has been proven to be a fantasy.
3/18/2015 6:00 pm
In addition to sloppy, sensationalist reporting, I would hope that CJS will consider what quantum of evidence is required to put forth a conclusion.
Erdely compiled a handful of anecdotes - one of which was 30 years old and recounted by a victim who, while likely truthful, is an active participant in academia’s sexual assault industrial complex. I am a litigator, and I could never get away with attempting to satisfy my burden of proof with the scanty facts, conclusory statements, and innuendo Erdely offered to support her primary thesis of University ambivalence to sexual assault.
3/18/2015 7:38 pm
The first thing CJS should have insisted on is a detailed interview with Erdely. If their report does include information drawn from such an interview it is completely, if you will, “speculative”.
(I’m going to assume that, since their “review” is internal to RS, they are not obligated to uncover new facts about Jackie and what happened to her.)
3/19/2015 2:21 am
It appears that Erdely did not fact check a single aspect of Jackie’s story.
What more is needed? This is Basic Reporting 101.
The point of her talking to the supposed rapist was only secondarily to get his side of the story. It was primarily to make sure that he existed. She didn’t do that, she’s not a reporter in any meaningful sense of the word.
3/19/2015 7:18 am
The CJS delay may reflect the fact that previous reporting only scratched the surface of a massive hoax. Coll has a well-earned reputation as a fair-minded and conscientious journalist. Let’s hope he has been taking the time to investigate the entire editorial and agenda-setting aspects behind a rather complicated “rape culture” contrivance.
3/19/2015 10:18 pm
I have been leaked an advance copy of CJS’ review. It reads in full:
3/21/2015 2:49 am
I can write one for you Richard Bradley.
3/22/2015 2:41 pm
Charlottesville police to release their report MONDAY and Rolling Stone? In four days? Some time this week as well.
3/23/2015 6:50 am
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Police in Charlottesville, Virginia, plan to release the findings of an investigation prompted by a Rolling Stone article about an alleged gang rape.
The police department has scheduled a news conference for 2 p.m. Monday in Charlottesville. A notice posted on the police department’s website says the department won’t answer any questions prior to the news conference.
The November 2014 article described an alleged gang rape at a fraternity house in 2012. Rolling Stone has since apologized for the article and noted discrepancies.
3/23/2015 7:53 am
The university has also promised a public report of an independent inquiry (headed by a Philadelphia law firm). Results of the state Attorney General’s investigation should also be released, at least in part. All of this-together with the CJS and Charlottesville PD inquiries-should ultimately lead to a clearer understanding of what probably or might have happened…. In any event, more basic source material will surely be available to enterprising journalists.
4/2/2024 1:02 pm
Columbia and Rolling Stone have drug their feet for so long that the tv show “Law & Order: SVU” has already written, filmed, and broadcast their own “ripped from the headlines” version of the story.