I represent Jodi Scheffler in the criminal case that Mr. Phelps wrote about. The Reporter’s entire coverage of Scheffler’s criminal charge has been factually inaccurate and appeared designed to create controversy in order to entice readership. In reality, Scheffler’s original charge had nothing to do with the Kirkland American Little League and everything to do with a mom trying to protect her son from being harassed by a well-known bully. With a little bit of effort and investigation, these facts could have been easily discovered by the newspaper. Instead, the Reporter appeared to intentionally ignore the facts and print stories with the intention of creating a “buzz.”

An example of the inaccurate reporting of this case is shown in the most recent article written by Mr. Phelps detailing Scheffler’s sentence. Unfortunately, he did not take the time nor make the effort to get the facts correct. The article was long on hyberbole, but short on accuracy. He failed to make the minimal effort to appear at the sentencing hearing before Judge Michael Lambo to truly understand what happened. Prior to writing his article, he failed to review Scheffler’s sentencing memorandum or make any meaningful inquiry of the facts. These failures led to the Reporter’s complete misrepresentation of the case. If he had taken the time to research the factual background of Scheffler’s case, he would have learned that it was absolutely blown out of proportion and a waste of valuable criminal justice resources. In the future, readers of the Reporter should read stories involving criminal allegations with a jaundiced eye.

David Seeley, Livengood, Fitzgerald & Alskog, PLLC