The person who was managing editor when the article was published has left the magazine.
The magazine capitulated to pressure almost as soon as the article was published, probably hoping that the capitulation would prevent the magazine from being sued, which it didn't.
When Rolling Stone retracted the article, the magazine also publicly declared its belief that Jackie had misled it. Rolling Stone was probably also hoping that having no loyalty to its sources or belief in its reporting would prevent a lawsuit, which its cowardly behavior didn't.
Nobody outside of direct involvement with Dean Eramo's lawsuit knows what Jackie said during her deposition. Far from being an attempt to verify fact, the deposition was what the lawsuit needed to cement its case. What could Jackie say during that deposition, other than to blame Rolling Stone? All of the institutions, including Rolling Stone under its management at this time, are arrayed against her. Although there is evidence that the assault happened the way that she said it did, that evidence is being ignored and every effort is being made to discredit her. Nobody has tried to get records from the University of Virginia, Phi Kappa Psi, or Drew's old fraternity about other sexual assault at Phi Kappa Psi or about why Drew was a student and a fraternity member in 2006, mysteriously disappeared for 6 years, and was then an undergraduate again at the University of Virginia in 2012.
Considering everything that has happened since 2010, why wouldn't Jackie be afraid that if she didn't say what the lawyers for Dean Eramo wanted her to say during the deposition, she, Jackie, could be sued and/or criminally charged with making false accusations of rape? That the winning of the lawsuits against Rolling Stone, Sabrina Erdely and Wenner Media will also cement public opinion against Jackie, who will then be permanently believed to be a false accuser, is either something that she doesn't realize or that she thinks she can't do anything about.
Jackie and Sabrina Erdely; the victim and the reporter who tried to help her. They're the ones who are going to suffer the most. Also; what's happening is not an attack only on Jackie's account of what happened to her. Every media portrayal of the article condemns the entire article, which is not only about Jackie, but is about the systematic failure of the University of Virginia and the government to stop rape and other violence at colleges all over the United States.
The bad guys have won, which they knew they would. That's why Jackie was raped; it's why people rape. They know that "The crazy bitch is lying to get attention" is accepted as a defense, in police stations, courtrooms, newsrooms, corporate offices, and social media around the world.
Copyright L. Kochman, April 10, 2016 @ 12:02 p.m.
