The Jackson Hole News & Guide has publicly apologized for a story that labeled an Arizona man an abuser of his son, settling a $25 million defamation lawsuit the man filed in December. In a settlement announced Wednesday, the newspaper’s statement included a direct admission: “We acknowledge, plainly and without qualification, that this article should never have been published.”
The controversy stems from a May 21 feature story about David Mecartney’s son, Dune Mecartney, and his advocacy work to provide safe havens for victims of child abuse. The story referred to David Mecartney as Dune’s “abuser.”
According to the lawsuit filed by David Mecartney’s attorney, Jason Ochs, the original version of the story presented the abuse claim as an objective fact, rather than attributing it directly to Dune Mecartney as a personal accusation. The complaint also alleged that the News & Guide did not contact David Mecartney for comment before publication.
The newspaper has since updated the online version of the story and posted a formal apology. The statement says the article “failed to meet the standards of verification, fairness, and judgment our readers are entitled to expect.”
“We give the News & Guide credit for doing the right thing,” Ochs said in a press release announcing the confidential settlement. “Publishing a clear acknowledgment and apology is a meaningful step toward accountability in reporting, especially when accusations this serious are involved.”
The legal fallout continues, however. David Mecartney has now filed a separate lawsuit in U.S. District Court for Wyoming against his adult son and ex-wife. He claims they have publicly and falsely cast him as an abuser. This claim follows years of custody battles in Teton County, where, according to Mecartney’s filings, the court previously found a lack of evidence to support the abuse allegations.
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