In all the years I've been writing, this has never happened to me before. I am starting to go from stunned to pissed. I just posted this update to
the Perazzi/Denver shotgun arrest story:
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE by Perazzi SPA
With regard to reports in the American press, in relation to
an alleged arrest for "terrorism" by Daniele Perazzi (founder of
Perazzi Armi SpA), we point out that the news is completely devoid of any
foundation. Daniele Perazzi is however, unfortunately, failed to live for about
a year. Even his son, Mauro, was last Saturday in the USA. As reported in the
press is absolutely false. The company Perazzi, however, contrary to what is
written, is familiar with the American legislation on weapons because of his
extensive and well-known activities of marketing its products in the USA. Since
it is difficult to think of simple error, it is believed that someone who has
interests contrary to those of the Perazzi SpA, may have spread false and
misleading information purposes only defamatory. The company has already
instructed his lawyers to take the most appropriate actions, civil and
criminal, in order to protect the brand represented and its activity, carried
on the American market. Perazzi Armi SpA
PRESS RELEASE From Perazzi SpA With reference to press
reports Concerning Daniele Perazzi's alleged unlawful arrest for terrorism last
Saturday in Denver (Colorado), That we were the incident is devoid of any
foundation and the news is completely fabricated. Daniele Perazzi (founder of
Perazzi SpA) died last year, and his son Mauro was not in the United States
last Saturday. The Perazzis are not involved in. any wrongdoing in any way,
shape or form and, to our best knowledge, are not under investigation or
scrutiny nor are targets of criminal proceedings. The Perazzi Company,
contrarily to what Has Been Reported, is very familiar with the U.S.
legislation on two weapons to its extensive presence in the American market.
Perazzi is considering to take legal action to protect the brand and the
Company's reputation in the USA. Perazzi SpA
Since this story has started to gain
wider attention, my role in this, why I posted this and the standards I used
before publishing merit scrutiny.
I was sent an email from a very
well-known Second Amendment attorney titled "major urgent story." As
I protect my sources, I will be immediately sending him an email asking if I
may disclose his name.
He set down the story, essentially
as presented in my Examiner column, and gave me as contacts NRA Director
Schreiner and another attorney, one whose CV includes Oxford and Harvard--she
requested I not use her name for attribution and I honored that for my story.
I called both and had extensive
conversations that include contemporaneous notes of our conversations, and they
both independently confirmed the contents of the email and each others'
accounts.
I also called the Adams County
Sheriff's Office and left a voice mail with the Public Information Officer. As
it was Sunday, no one answered and no call has been returned.
Before publishing the story, I sent
it to the Colorado attorney who confirmed the story for an accuracy check, and
she replied back that it was "well written" and "approved."
She is also the one who told me that the Daniele Perazzi in the story was the
grandson of the founder. I have the emails to document this.
After publishing, I sent the story
link to Schreiner, to the attorney who tipped me to the story, and to the
attorney who acted as a source.
This afternoon, a colleague sent me
the link to the Perazzi press release. I immediately called Schreiner who
maintains he was at the Collectors Show and has first-hand knowledge of some of
the information stated as fact, and was directly told about the rest from show
management. I also left a call for the source attorney and left a voice mail
telling her of these developments and asking her to call me.
The bottom line is, I went through
an extraordinary level of verification on this story before publishing it.
If
it turns out that it is, as the press release states, "completely devoid
of any foundation," that means someone went to extraordinary lengths to
create and perpetuate a hoax story, and to draw me and others into it, and to
smooth entry by using credible people.
As something like this can destroy a
reputation, I too, am absolutely invested in getting to the truth of this
matter, horrified by this development, and committed to identifying anyone who
would do such a thing.
I am going to leave the original
story intact below and will be writing a follow-up article when more
information becomes known.
