Fired teacher fights to clear name after 'hit' allegation

[alp227]

Jonesboro, Georgia (CNN) -- To this day, Randolph Forde experiences a small panic attack whenever the local news comes on the television.

The former Georgia high school special education teacher was arrested in October on allegations that he offered money to one student to kill another. The story appeared on the local TV news before making national and international headlines, casting Forde as a man with an bizarre vendetta against a student he suspected of being gay.

Forde vehemently denied the allegations, and in May, a grand jury in Clayton County found there was not evidence to indict him on terroristic threat charges. But the media frenzy that accompanied the sensational allegations continues to haunt him.

"It's silly, but I just get this nervousness -- I'm afraid my face is going to show up again" on the television screen, he said. "I don't know why, but that's my natural response. I get nervous. Just being exposed like that really shook me up."

It's not just television news. Google his name and dozens of pages pop up, filled with headlines such as this one: "Teacher Accused of Trying to Put Hit on Student." The sources vary from major news sites, including CNN.com, to blogs, personal websites and chat forums.

Full story: http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/09/20/randolph.forde.reputation/index.html

[ck4829]

1. "A lie goes halfway around the world before the truth even puts its pants on." - Mark Twain

I'm willing to bet that one of his own students was involved in this. Just because a kid is in special education, don't assume they're not intelligent or (Just like every human on this planet) doesn't have the potential to be very manipulative.

K&R.

[rpannier]

2. Richard Jewell Part II

It's part of the reason I believe almost nothing I read in the AJC and other Major Newspapers
Getting the story first and creating a public frenzy are more important than getting the story accurate

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. He was fired? And still out of work??

I smell a lawsuit.

[Taitertots]

4. The media loves to scream allegations and whisper exonerations

It is the inevitable result of turning news reporting into a for profit industry.