CNN’s Jeff Zucker Reportedly Admitted Mistake Over Controversial Freddie Gray Article

CNN President Jeff Zucker reportedly admitted to staffers earlier today that there was a big mistake in an online article that got lots of criticism.

In a report yesterday on the trial of one of the Baltimore officers indicted in Gray’s death, the report––written by Ann O’Neill and Aaron Cooper––included a reference to Gray as “the son of an illiterate heroin addict.”

There was pretty widespread online disgust over that sentence, and according to TheWrap, Zucker admitted it was a mistake during a network town hall today.

A network insider said that the “intent of the story was to show that Freddie came from a tough environment but it came out wrong and was updated on the digital end.”

The line in question has since been altered on the CNN online report.

Jury selection for the first Baltimore officer’s trial began yesterday, and protesters marched throughout the downtown area. They’re still up in arms about how Gray died in police custody.

Six officers were charged by Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, and she has been accused of withholding evidence.

[image via Everett Collection/Shutterstock]

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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

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