Reporter Sues TV Station Over Firing For Mistaken Tweet

Cerullo

A former reporter for ABC affiliate KAKE-TV/WICHITA is suing the station for firing him over tweeting an incorrect plea from a defendant in a murder case.

The WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL reports that JARED CERULLO, who is now, according to his LINKEDIN profile, News Director at radio group STECKLINE COMMUNICATIONS, is seeking over $75,000 in damages from KAKE parent GRAY TELEVISION GROUP INC and KAKE News Director MICHAEL SIPES.

CERULLO, whose career started at JOURNAL Country KFDI/WICHITA, incorrectly tweeted that defendant ERIK JACKSON had pleaded guilty, and later posted, "Correction: ERIK JACKSON did not plead guilty. He waived his right to preliminary hearing in this murder case. My apologies for the error."

He was later suspended, then fired for gross negligence. On STECKLINE Talk KQAM-A/WICHITA's JOSEPH ASHBY show, CERULLO said that he thought the punishment did not fit the crime.  Viewers subsequently began a campaign to get CERULLO reinstated.

« see more Net News