Retraction: Sheriff Howard Sills Video was Edited to Make it Appear He was Reneging on Reward

Yesterday, on June 17, I posted an article that said Sheriff Howard Sills reneged on the reward for the capture of escaped convicts.

I relied on a video from wsmv.com:  The news reader, Chris Miller, says that no one will receive the reward money.  Then a clip of Sheriff Howard Sills is played, where he says:   

 "It looks like we going to get saved that money. Because the apprehension was the result of officers seeing them after a crime. So I don't think that, ..

Again I appreciate everyone who put that money up. We are very grateful."

What is not shown is the context of the Sheriff's statement.  An alert TTAG reader, Jeff Young, shared a link to the original video at 13WMAZ. In the video, it is clear that Sheriff Howard Sills is announcing the capture of the two escapees. It is clear that he believes that law enforcement captured them.  In that context his remarks make sense.

I retract that article. It was based on "fake news".

I owe Sheriff Sills an apology. He did not make himself look like a stupid, dishonest, weasel. Whoever edited the video did that. It is another instance of "fake news".

How much of our image of law enforcement officers is shaped by "fake news"?

More than it should be.

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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