News
Supermarket Tabloid Apologizes to Smart Family
Published: Apr 28, 2003 - 05:22 PM
DENVER (Reuters) - The National Enquirer on Monday apologized for a false report that some of kidnapped teen Elizabeth Smart's relatives were involved in a gay sex ring, while Utah's largest newspaper publicly chastised two of its reporters for helping and taking money from the tabloid.
"The Enquirer regrets any embarrassment or harm the article may have caused Ed, Tom and David Smart or their families," the Enquirer said in a statement, referring to Elizabeth's father, Ed and her uncles, Tom and David. The statement was contained in a joint statement issued by the Boca Raton, Florida-based supermarket tabloid and the Smart family.
The newspaper said its July 2 article was "inaccurate and false" and that the tabloid mistakenly reported that law enforcement officials stated that the brothers were involved in a gay sex scandal.
The article, published about a month after then-14-year-old Elizabeth was kidnapped from her home at knifepoint, was considered in such bad taste that some Salt Lake City supermarkets refused to sell the paper.
The girl was found in March not far from her home and is now back with her family. A homeless couple who allegedly kidnapped her and threatened to harm her family if she tried to run away is in jail awaiting trial.
The Smart family said it was satisfied with the settlement. But, in a statement released by family spokesman Chris Thomas, the family said it was disappointed with local media and law enforcement sources who contributed to the Enquirer article. "Those overseeing these individuals need to realize the magnitude of such serious legal and ethical issues and take appropriate action," the statement said.
Salt Lake City Tribune Editor James Shelledy, in a letter to readers published on Sunday, said two of the paper's reporters -- Kevin Cantera and Michael Vigh -- were paid by the Enquirer for help on the Smart story.
"Strictly speaking, talking to the National Enquirer or others of like ilk, in and of itself, is neither illegal nor unethical. Rather, it is akin to drinking water out of a toilet bowl -- dumb, distasteful and, when observed, embarrassing," Shelledy wrote.
The two reporters offered to resign, but Shelledy said he did not believe their behavior rose to the level of a firing offense. The editor said the two reporters were disciplined after Shelledy "verbally wrung their necks."
The Tribune never published stories that were similar to the Enquirer's.
Shelledy said the information the two newspaper reporters offered the National Enquirer either had been published in the Utah newspaper or was known but had not been printed because it was irrelevant to the crime or not authenticated.
Shelledy said the two reporters "naively assumed" the Enquirer reporters understood that any information that cannot be confirmed must be considered mere hearsay.
The newspaper said its July 2 article was "inaccurate and false" and that the tabloid mistakenly reported that law enforcement officials stated that the brothers were involved in a gay sex scandal.
The article, published about a month after then-14-year-old Elizabeth was kidnapped from her home at knifepoint, was considered in such bad taste that some Salt Lake City supermarkets refused to sell the paper.
The girl was found in March not far from her home and is now back with her family. A homeless couple who allegedly kidnapped her and threatened to harm her family if she tried to run away is in jail awaiting trial.
The Smart family said it was satisfied with the settlement. But, in a statement released by family spokesman Chris Thomas, the family said it was disappointed with local media and law enforcement sources who contributed to the Enquirer article. "Those overseeing these individuals need to realize the magnitude of such serious legal and ethical issues and take appropriate action," the statement said.
Salt Lake City Tribune Editor James Shelledy, in a letter to readers published on Sunday, said two of the paper's reporters -- Kevin Cantera and Michael Vigh -- were paid by the Enquirer for help on the Smart story.
"Strictly speaking, talking to the National Enquirer or others of like ilk, in and of itself, is neither illegal nor unethical. Rather, it is akin to drinking water out of a toilet bowl -- dumb, distasteful and, when observed, embarrassing," Shelledy wrote.
The two reporters offered to resign, but Shelledy said he did not believe their behavior rose to the level of a firing offense. The editor said the two reporters were disciplined after Shelledy "verbally wrung their necks."
The Tribune never published stories that were similar to the Enquirer's.
Shelledy said the information the two newspaper reporters offered the National Enquirer either had been published in the Utah newspaper or was known but had not been printed because it was irrelevant to the crime or not authenticated.
Shelledy said the two reporters "naively assumed" the Enquirer reporters understood that any information that cannot be confirmed must be considered mere hearsay.
