Newzjunky Gets the Information Wrong on Important Robbery Case.

Videos

11- Key Bank Robbed

see larger video

sourced by theweeklystash

Photos

Newzjunky Wrong on Important Robbery Case.

see larger image

uploaded by theweeklystash

• 

  uploaded by theweeklystash | add comment

• 

  uploaded by theweeklystash | add comment

• 

  uploaded by theweeklystash | add comment

Watertown N.Y. has had two bank robberies in the span of less than a week. One robbery occurred at Carthage Federal Savings and Loan at 146 Arsenal Street and the other at Key bank, 1308 Washington Street here in the city. The media coverage has been quick and comprehensive.

However, in cases like these it is of vital important to get the statistics correct so as to ensure that the public can be on the lookout for persons fitting the description. The popular news site NewsJunky in a rush to get the story out has a glaring discrepancy in their coverage.  In the printed version of their story it is stated that the Robber of the Key bank on Washington Street is listed as 6’0-6’2 in height. However, in the video interview with Watertown Police Chief Joseph Goss he clearly described the robber as “somewhere in the neighborhood of 5’6, 5’7” He also described the suspect as a white male with a slim to medium build.

In cases such as these it is of vital importance to get the facts correct. I attempted to contact the author of the article Timothy W. Scee II in order to give him the opportunity to explain the discrepancy but was unable to reach Mr. Scee at the time.

Another glaring inconsistencies between what was printed and what is plain to see in the photos provided on the site was that the clothing of the Robber. In the printed version it says that “Although an accurate clothing description could not be confirmed, Goss said black attire was mentioned over the scanner in preliminary reports.”   Yet in the pictures provided by Newsjunky (picture provided) you can clearly see that the clothing is quite distinctive and has ornate symbols that would be easy to pick out if they were described appropriately. With the black and white diamond shaped symbols on the jacket and the baby blue Sean John crown on the ball cap these are very unique aspects and not something that everyone or any two people would have on at the same time in a city the size of Watertown.

Finally a fact that that seems to have slipped the attention of Newsjunky is that in the video interview with Police Chief Goss, he maintains that weather a note was used to facilitate the robbery is something he wishes to keep as evidence, yet it the photos provided by the Newzjunky website it is quite clear that the robber passed the teller a note in the course of the robbery. Whether these pitchers were provided before or after the story was written is of no consequence. The text of the article should have been amended as any evidence was provided that contradicts what is already on the site.

RETRACTION: 

  Earlier today I (Joey Spencer) wrote an article that stated the website and a journalist by the name of Timothy Scee III got the facts of an important investigation wrong on the Newzjunky website. I was informed later by Mr. Scee through a website that in fact the information had been corrected. I neglected to read a caption below a photograph of the suspect in question of a bank robbery in Watertown NY. This lead to phone calls being made that although was not answered I should have made a more avid attempt to get in touch with Mr.Scee.

The only inconsistency that was disputed was the height the individual. In that instance I was wrong for saying there was no correction. However, the other inconsistencies with the video and the article ie; clothing and the passing of a note still stand as solid and credible as they did earlier. 

I believe in the integrity of news and that when a news provider gets something wrong it should get the same amount of coverage as the incorrect information did.