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Today, we have released all seven episodes of "Canary: The Washington Post Investigates." It& #39;s our newsroom& #39;s first long-form investigative podcast. And I wanted to share a few details about how this story - three years in the making- came to light. http://washingtonpost.com/canary ">https://washingtonpost.com/canary&qu...
In 2017, I got a call from an attorney @nvrdc who represented Lauren Clark, a D.C. hairstylist who had been attacked by a stranger and sexually assaulted while jogging in her neighborhood. Her case appeared to be a slam dunk for prosecutors, but it didn& #39;t turn out that way.
I was drawn to her story, instantly. Her account showed just how difficult it is for sexual assault survivors to get any sense of justice through the legal system. Her attacker (a D.C. chef) admitted to assaulting five other women. A judge sentenced him to 10 days in jail.
And later, there were serious lapses in Lauren& #39;s case. The probation agency failed to carry out the court& #39;s instructions for an assessment and treatment for her attacker& #39;s violent sexual tendencies. And when the judge found out, 3.5 years later, he initially let it go.
Lauren filed a legal motion that her rights as a crime victim had been violated. She also took an extraordinary step toward ensuring she would get justice on her own terms. She printed out flyers, warning of danger to her community, and handed them out along 14th Street in D.C.
@maurajudkis and I published her story in Jan. 2019, along with accounts from other women who say they were also victimized by Lauren& #39;s attacker. Including during the time he was supposed to be getting treatment from the court probation agency. https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/the-man-who-attacked-me-works-in-your-kitchen-victim-of-serial-groper-took-justice-into-her-own-hands/2019/01/30/bda43adc-deae-11e8-b3f0-62607289efee_story.html">https://www.washingtonpost.com/investiga...
I thought that was it. After publication, I moved on. But as it turns out, it was *only the beginning* of a larger story. Two weeks later, I received an email from a woman in Alabama. "I have some information that may be pertinent to your recent article," she wrote to me.
Carole Griffin is 60 years old. A Birmingham bakery and restaurant owner. A former professional musician. She carried a secret for 40+ years. Her decision to reach out to me started the reporting path that led to today& #39;s release of "Canary: The Washington Post Investigates."
I& #39;m not going to tell her story in a Twitter thread. Because her account should be told through her own words. And we took great care to allow the podcast to organically and transparently follow the reporting process of bringing this devastating allegation to light.
For those of you scratching your heads at the title, "Canary" -- the reason is revealed in Episode 2. It emerged from a conversation about the metaphor of a canary in a coal mine. And the decision for Lauren to speak out about danger and the decision by Carole to come forward.
So, please listen to Canary: The Washington Post Investigates. I will share more in due time, once people have time to listen and to process what they& #39;ve heard. In the meantime, I& #39;ll leave you with this photo of Lauren and Carole by @salwangeorges
