By: Hunter Klosty
In a February 3rd report entitled “Activist loses Morehead-Cain Scholarship, left unsure of what rules she broke,” the Daily Tar Heel misreported crucial details about the subject’s alleged criminal activities. The Morehead-Cain program allows students with high ethics and leadership skills to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill tuition-free.
The article misrepresented the ongoing legal situation of anti-Israel protester Laura Saavedra Forero. The article asserts that “Saavedra Forero faced a number of disciplinary and criminal charges, including resisting a public officer and impeding traffic, for her protesting last spring, but all but one were dropped.”
Publicly available records show that Saavedra Forero is party to a conditional discharge agreement for two separate counts of resisting arrest and one count of impeding traffic.
A conditional discharge is for a defendant who “pleads guilty or is found guilty to be placed on probation without entry of judgement. If the defendant succeeds on probation, the court dismisses the conviction. If the defendant fails, the court enters judgement and sentences the defendant,” according to UNC Professor of Public Law and Government James Markham. Saavedra Forero is scheduled to appear before the court on May 13th to assess whether she followed the terms of her agreement. Court records also show Saavedra Forero paid $200.00 in restitution. The Daily Tar Heel falsely reported that the charges had been “dropped,” which would have let her off without penalty.
Additionally, the arrests were not related to participation in last spring’s encampments and protests on Polk Place, as the article suggests. Saavedra Forero’s first charge for impeding traffic, according to UNC police records, was because she was “not moving after being told/asked at least twice to move” and she “blocked the UNC Provost’s vehicle with her body and wheelchair.” The same situation caused her first charge for resisting, delaying, or obstructing a police officer. The second charge for resisting, delaying, or obstructing an officer came in September after Saavedra Forero was being investigated for a separate graffiti misdemeanor incident and a UNC police officer carried out a search warrant at her campus apartment, according to a lawsuit filed by Saavedra Forero against the police officer.
Critics have pointed to the Daily Tar Heel’s first sit-down interview with Chancellor Lee Roberts from August as evidence of the publication’s sympathy toward pro-Palestinian protesters. Of the eight questions asked in the interview, five regarded the protests.
The Review contacted editor-in-chief Laney Crawley and Special Projects Editor Aisha Baiocchi, the reporter for the false February report. Crawley claimed the Daily Tar Heel “…did not report any false information…” and “[i]t was a thoroughly researched and sourced article.” It is unclear what sourcing is being referred to or whether any members of the Daily Tar Heel staff reviewed records from the Orange County District Court.
