An investigation by the San Jose Mercury News into articles written by a former summer intern has determined that more than a dozen people he described can't be verified as real.
The review of 19 Mercury News articles written by Eric Drudis, 21, began last Friday, prompted by Northwestern University's announcement that two articles Drudis wrote for the Medill News Service had sources that could not be verified.
The paper checked telephone directories, property records, the state Department of Motor Vehicles database, voting records and other sources. Five of the 19 articles Drudis wrote for the Mercury News could not be verified.
"Obviously, this is upsetting on a number of levels - personally, because we liked and respected Eric; professionally, because events such as this hurt our credibility with readers," Mercury News managing editor Susan Goldberg said in a note to staff members.
Drudis, 21, a student at Medill, worked for the paper from June 19 to Sept. 1. He spoke to the Mercury News briefly Friday, but did not return the paper's calls asking for help.
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