Scott Weiland was not arrested and incarcerated for METH. TMZ always trying to get the drop on celebrity news come hell or high water really screwed the pooch this time. The website very recently reported that the former STP/Velvet Revolver front man was arrested for stealing items from a pharmacy and possessing Meth. With a lot of certainty, the website went on to detail that Mr. Weiland had pulled the "don't you know who I am" card and was in the pen for a month. This is all untrue.
Even faced with the facts, the site continued to add updates to their story quoting authorities who stated they had physically checked the status of the supposed criminal and it indeed was Weiland. This was all happening even after Weiland himself posted a video via Facebook stating his status as recording his new album and touring.
Finally today, TMZ updated their story for at least the third time without apology.
"Oops. The BHPD got back to us late Thursday night and said they made a
BIG mistake ... the inmate is actually a 44-year-old guy named Jason
Michael Hurley. They discovered it through belated FBI fingerprint
analysis, even though he's been locked up since July 26."
So not only did the media ignore the verification from Weiland himself but they continued to worsen the problem by quoting inept authorities who obviously can't use a google search to compare and ID the suspect they have in custody.
Regardless of Mr. Weiland's past history with drugs, it's a complete shame that in this age of technology and access to information that not only a website that tauts itself as the end all and be all of celebrity gossip but the criminal system itself can't get a story right.
I forsee a lawsuit in the future as Weiland has already been quoted as saying TMZ will hear from his lawyers. Looks like TMZ could spend a bit more time Fact Checking and a little less time making hacky jokes about celebrities on their daily tv program. Who the hell gave them a TV Show anyway?
