The Register heard from a couple of readers Monday, following an error in the weekend’s Court Report. NO REASONABLE excuse exists for Saturday’s error. There was a long list of filings, and I simply wrote from the wrong line.
A defendant was being charged with marijuana possession, not methamphetamine, as I incorrectly reported.
The error was a whopper.
In the eyes of Kansas law, marijuana possession is a misdemeanor crime for first-time offenders. Possessing methamphetamine — in part because of the drug’s toxicity and the dangers in how it is manufactured — is considered a felony offense.
The demeanor of the two readers to point out the mistake was the difference between night and day.
The first reader, who called Monday morning, expressed satisfaction of my offer to print a prompt correction, which we did in Monday’s newspaper.
The second reader — who came by the Register office to express their displeasure — was not as forgiving, calling the error unacceptable on all levels.
“How embarrassing!” the reader said emphatically.
How true.
Accuracy is lifeblood of a newspaper. There’s not much point in printing stories if the reader doesn’t trust the information being disseminated.
In 20-plus years in this business, I’ve committed my share of mistakes.
Yes, they all leave a mark.
Errors in court reporting are particularly grievous.
If a defendant is improperly besmirched, it’s difficult — if not impossible — to make things right.
Further explaining the error in a follow-up news item sometimes only serves as a reminder that somebody has run afoul of the law to begin with. Short of developing a time machine, there’s no way to undo the damage. The adage “unringing a bell” comes to mind.
The episode was a painful reminder that getting the information right the first time is always a reporter’s goal. Always has been and always will be.
Anything less is unacceptable.
Reporter’s target: Attention to detail
