That was the first time I’ve read that story and I was hooked from start to finish. To now know that it was just false reporting and basically bad journalism is a sad case. Just reading the story and how the author put it together, the quotes, the word usage, etc. makes the author seem like a very skilled and experienced writer. I just can’t understand how he failed to fact check, run her story by other people that night, or even just use common knowledge. I thought it was very strange that everyone in the party just ignored a bruised beaten girl walking down the stairs, her friends did absolutely nothing as they saw her beaten and bloody and that her date “Drew” would just casually speak to her days after at work.
The story was so elaborate and mentioned so many people, I just don’t understand how the writer didn’t try to collaborate her story with others. For instance, he could’ve questioned the fraternity, question those at the party, question Jackie’s co workers at the pool, question her friends, question her hall mates, questions her parents, she could have along history of making up stories.
You can’t put all your eggs in one basket and here is an example of a journalist doing that by completely relying on her main, and really only, source. Just like that quote, “If your mother says she loves you check it out.” You have to check and then double check and then check again, because once you publish, there’s no taking it out of circulation.