Sunday, May 05 2024 | Updated at 06:03 AM EDT

Stay Connected With Us F T R

Nov 03, 2016 05:33 AM EDT

Last year, the Internet went into a frenzy when a Rolling Stone magazine article reported a group sexual assault at the University of Virginia (UVa). The now-retracted article, which was published on Nov. 19, 2014, was written by Sabrina Erdely.

It was claimed in the article that several members of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity at the school had raped a woman named Jackie. The act was said to have happened during a chapter house party as part of an initiation rite.

However, as other journalists checked the claims, they found major discrepancies. This led to Rolling Stone issuing multiple apologies for the story.

The issue has been brought up once again since, according to BuzzFeed News, the retraction of the University of Virginia sexual assault story is now being debated in federal court. UVa dean Nicole Eramo is suing Rolling Stone for libel and asking for $7.5 million in damages.

She argued that the writer, Sabrina Erdely, defamed her in the article through the portrayal of her response to the alleged group sexual assault. The trial moved into closing arguments on Tuesday.

Jann Wenner, Rolling Stone's founder and publisher, admitted that he disagreed with the managing editor then, Will Dana, when it was announced that the magazine was "officially retracting" the entire article. Wenner described it as "inaccurate" and said that "we do not retract the whole story."

"To withdraw a retraction would seem to be an assertion that Rolling Stone is standing by the story," Michael C. Dorf, a Chicago-based attorney, said. "The only possible reason I could think for doing this is that Rolling Stone is going to try to use truth, the ultimate libel defense, as its trial strategy."

According to The Daily Progress, an attorney of the University of Virginia has asked a student to disavow the Rolling Stone story. Apparently, Jackie did not inform the university of her allegations nor did she identify the fraternity in question.

See Now: Covert Team Inside Newsweek Revealed as Key Players in False Human Trafficking Lawsuit

Follows University of Virginia, Sexual Assault, Campus Safety, issues, Rolling Stone, magazine, Publication, journalism
© 2024 University Herald, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Must Read

Common Challenges for College Students: How to Overcome Them

Oct 17, 2022 PM EDTFor most people, college is a phenomenal experience. However, while higher education offers benefits, it can also come with a number of challenges to ...

Top 5 Best Resources for Math Students

Oct 17, 2022 AM EDTMath is a subject that needs to be tackled differently than any other class, so you'll need the right tools and resources to master it. So here are 5 ...

Why Taking a DNA Test is Vital Before Starting a Family

Oct 12, 2022 PM EDTIf you're considering starting a family, this is an exciting time! There are no doubt a million things running through your head right now, from ...

By Enabling The Use Of Second-Hand Technology, Alloallo Scutter It's Growth While Being Economically And Environmentally Friendly.

Oct 11, 2022 PM EDTBrands are being forced to prioritise customer lifetime value and foster brand loyalty as return on advertising investment plummets. Several brands, ...