Denver ABC-affiliate KMGH is publicly disputing an ABC News report about Colorado theater shooting suspect James Holmes.
Both ABC News and the New York Daily News reported yesterday Holmes has been spitting at officers at the Arapahoe County Jail, and at one point was forced to wear a face guard. John Ferrugia, a longtime investigative reporter at KMGH, took to Twitter to offer a conflicting report from what he called a “knowledgeable source”:
#lawenforcement sources deny #theatershooting supect spit on guards and wore face mask. “simply b.s.” says knowledgable source. #7News
Advertisement— john ferrugia (@johnferrugia7) July 24, 2012
KMGH, which is owned by Scripps, also has a story on its website denying the report, although it cites “two national news organizations” without naming ABC News specifically:
Two national news organizations have reported that Holmes, who is being detained in solitary confinement, has been acting out at the Arapahoe County Jail. One national news organization also reported Tuesday night that Holmes has been put in a headgear to prevent him from spitting at guards. However, knowledgeable sources tell CALL7 Investigator John Ferrugia that is just not true.
ABC News has updated the online version of their story with an editor’s note pointing out the conflicting reports. The network has already had to make one major correction in their reporting on the Colorado shooting; Holmes’ mother, Arlene, has also disputed ABC’s account of an early-morning phone call she had with them on Friday morning, which ABC News has stood by.
The judge presiding over Holmes’ case, William Sylvester, issued a gag order earlier this week that covers the jail, making it more difficult for reporters to to gain further insight into Holmes’ behavior.
We’ve reached out to KMGH for comment and will update when we hear back.