Sentinel Corrects Record on Oxycontin Article

The paper knew five weeks earlier than stated about a subject's drug
conviction.

The Orlando Sentinel knew five weeks earlier than previously stated
that an ex-police officer, featured as an "accidental addict" in the
newspaper's series about the painkiller OxyContin, had a drug-related
conviction.

In a Sunday story, the Sentinel said the paper was unaware of David
Rokisky's legal troubles until informed of them in a letter received
Dec. 15 from Purdue Pharma, makers of the narcotic.

"Mr. Rokisky is not the model citizen who appears on the pages of the
Sentinel," the letter said, "and the true nature of his character
invalidates the conclusions drawn from the fictional persona."

Managing Editor Elaine Kramer, who was quoted in Sunday's article,
discovered late Tuesday that information about Rokisky's 1999
conviction on drug conspiracy in New Mexico had been known by one or
more people in the newsroom since Nov. 7.

Kramer immediately told Publisher Kathy Waltz, who ordered an
investigation into the paper's handling of the five-part series and
information obtained after it was published Oct. 19-23.

The paper erred in not uncovering Rokisky's criminal background before
the stories were published, Kramer said Wednesday, then compounded the
mistake by not verifying and disclosing the information sooner.

Launching the investigation into what caused the communication
breakdown in the newsroom, Waltz said, she intends to set guidelines
ensuring nothing similar happens again.

Purdue spokesman Jim Heins said: "We are gratified that the Sentinel
is beginning to examine the facts and correct the record concerning
the serious inaccuracies published in its five-part series about
OxyContin. The inaccurate and misleading description of David Rokisky
as a typical pain patient confused two important public health issues,
the proper use of this medication and its illegal abuse.

"Rokisky's extensive criminal past suggests he is anything but a
typical pain patient and calls into question the truth of every
statement attributed to him by the Sentinel."

If the newspaper had known about Rokisky's drug-conspiracy conviction
before the stories were printed in October, Kramer said, "we would not
have profiled him in the way we did."

Rokisky, 36, worked for the Albuquerque police department from 1989 to
1997. He pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy charge in December 1999
and in April 2000 was sentenced to six months' house arrest and three
years' probation, which included regular drug testing in a
substance-abuse program.

The case against Rokisky stemmed from his role in introducing an
undercover police officer to a drug dealer to buy cocaine. Rokisky
adamantly denies ever abusing drugs.