WTMJ-TV (Channel 4) has apologized for and retracted a story the station aired in May alleging misconduct by a Milwaukee police officer.
Anchor Mike Jacobs read the apology during the station's Tuesday 5 p.m. newscast.
The promotion for the story i mplied misconduct and criminal activity by Police Officer Matthew Knight, "even though staffers knew" he had been cleared of any wrongdoing. However, the story itself, which aired May 6, stated that Knight was cleared of wrongdoing.
Knight sued the station and Journal Broadcast Group, which, like the Journal Sentinel, is owned by Journal Communications.
According to the apology, the story "left the wrong impression that Officer Knight was involved in inappropriate or wrongful behavior. He was not. Our promotion of that story, however, left you with the wrong impression. ... We sincerely apologize to Officer Knight, the hard-working Milwaukee police department and to you, our viewers."
Watch the apology here. According to a
Journal Sentinel story from July 2, the station used surveillance video showing Knight using another man's PIN number to withdraw cash from an ATM.
According to the lawsuit, the man had smashed a taxicab window and the driver said he would not press charges if the man paid the driver $300. After the transaction, the man paid the driver who signed Knight's memo book as proof of payment.
A promotion aired by the station called the story, reported by Jermont Terry, an "explosive I-Team investigation." It added: "It's the video that will have everyone talking."
Watch the video of the promotion for the story below. And watch Police Chief Ed Flynn's press conference condemning the story, also below. After the statement, Terry can be heard questioning Flynn over the department's handling of the tape and the case.
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