Kevin Deutsch: Difference between revisions

'''Kevin Deutsch''' is an American criminal justice journalist and author of two books who specializes in coverage of drug trafficking and gang activity.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Kevin-Deutsch/e/B00MBRB2DE|title=Amazon.com: Kevin Deutsch: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle|publisher=}}</ref> The sourcing and veracity of some of his news articles and his book ''Pill City'' have become the subject of a high-profile dispute involving allegations that Deutsch has repeatedly fabricated sources, quotes, and events in the book's narrative. Deutsch has denied all of the claims and defended his work as accurate.<ref>http://observer.com/2017/03/kevin-deutsch-plagiarism-allegation-response/</ref>

Following the release of Deutsch's second book, ''Pill City'', reporters from ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'' and ''[[Baltimore City Paper]]'', challenged the veracity of the book's narrative.<ref name="bcitypaper">{{Cite news|url=http://www.citypaper.com/blogs/the-news-hole/bcpnews-inconsistencies-raise-questions-about-pill-city-a-baltimore-tale-of-drugs-and-murder-20170217-story.html|title=Anonymous Sources, Pharmacy Pills, and Gang Wars: Inconsistencies raise questions about "Pill City," a Baltimore tale of drugs and murder|last=Jr.|first=Edward Ericson|work=citypaper.com|access-date=2017-03-04|language=en-US}}</ref> along with the Baltimore TV writer/producer [[David Simon]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.themillions.com/2017/02/fake-pill-city.html|title=Fake Pill City - The Millions|date=2017-02-22|work=The Millions|access-date=2017-03-15|language=en-US}}</ref> On February 10, 2017, ''The Baltimore Sun'' published an article quoting government officials that cast doubt on elements of the book, and Deutsch's practice of changing the names of individuals and places he documented.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-pill-city-book-20170210-story.html|title=Baltimore officials question claims in new book about 2015 pharmacy thefts|last=Fenton|first=Justin|newspaper=baltimoresun.com|access-date=2017-02-24|language=en-US}}</ref> David Simon said "After reading, I think this book is, by and large, a wholesale fabrication."<ref name="waposkeptical">[https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-journalist-on-the-crime-beat-becomes-the-subject-of-some-skeptical-journalism/2017/09/15/c5139096-9711-11e7-82e4-f1076f6d6152_story.html A journalist on the crime beat becomes the subject of some skeptical journalism]. ''The Washington Post''</ref> Core elements of the book could not be substantiated, including "the dates, circumstances and victims involved in homicides Deutsch describes in detail." Deutsch told the publication he changed those details to protect those involved in the story. <ref name="waposkeptical" /> The ''City Paper'' reported that it was not able to confirm the existence ofmany almostcharacters anydescribed person describedpseudonymously in the book, including incidental characters not involved in crime who would have no reason to fear exposure.<ref name="bcitypaper" /> Despite a detailed explanation of events in the Shock Trauma department at the [[University of Maryland Medical Center]], no record exists of Deutsch visiting it.<ref name="bcitypaper" /> Of the murders described in the book, several did not appear to match any of Baltimore area's recorded murders during the year-long time period.<ref name="bcitypaper"Deutsch />told the Allegedpublication old-timethe drugdates lordsof asthe wellhomicides aswere allegedlynot famousincluded murderedin preachershis couldbook, and that names and details pertaining to most homicides were changed to protect the identities of victims and suspects not beyet arrested identified.<ref name="bcitypaper" />

The ''Baltimore Sun'' article also included an extended video interview with Deutsch, in which he defended his work and his use of anonymous sourcing, which he again said was needed to protect the safety of interviewees.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/92551191-132.html|title=Interview with 'Pill City' author Kevin Deutsch|last=Sun|first=Baltimore|newspaper=baltimoresun.com|access-date=2017-02-24|language=en-US}}</ref> The "Author's Note" in Deutsch's book includes a section detailing his methodology. It states that "In order to disguise the identities of interviewees, most of their names have been changed. For that same reason, certain locations, physical descriptions, and other identifying details have been altered or obscured." <ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=_O2dDAAAQBAJ&q=changed+#v=snippet&q=changed&f=false]</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://medium.com/@pillcitybook/pill-city-how-two-honor-roll-students-foiled-the-feds-and-built-a-drug-empire-410e9254f46#.ma6u7xy2i}}</ref>

On July 12, 2017, ''Newsday'', where Deutsch was on staff for more than four years, released the conclusions of its review of Deutsch's writing there. ''Newsday'' said that review was prompted by the Baltimore article questioning Deutsch's second book. ''Newsday'' found that in 77 or more than 600 articles written by Deutsch, 109 individuals he quotedquote--some couldwhose notquotes havewere theirpublished years earlier--could not existencebe confirmedlocated. The editors said the main points of the articles were confirmed and cited many reasons that people might not give a real name to a police reporter. No corrections were issued, but ''Newsday'' appended individual editor's notes to each of the 77 articles online, detailing which sources it could not locate after approximately four months of effort.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.newsday.com/news/editor-s-note-to-our-readers-1.13796846|title=Editor’s note to our readers|work=Newsday|access-date=2017-07-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.poynter.org/2017/newsday-releases-review-of-kevin-deutschs-reporting/466569/|title=Newsday releases review of Kevin Deutsch’s reporting|date=2017-07-12|work=Poynter|access-date=2017-07-14|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.imediaethics.org/newsday-109-sources-former-crime-reporter-kevin-deutsch-stories-cant-found/|title=Newsday: 109 Sources Can't be Found in Kevin Deutsch Crime Reporting - iMediaEthics|date=2017-07-12|work=iMediaEthics|access-date=2017-07-14|language=en-US}}</ref>