About 15 minutes before the scheduled 9 p.m. grand jury announcement in Clayton, Mo., someone claiming to be CNN tweeted (and then quickly deleted) a claim that there was “not enough evidence” to indict Officer Darren Wilson.
Oops. RT @jeffgoldesq: Hmmm @CNN tweeted and quickly untweeted pic.twitter.com/qgYdvLjuWq"
— Jared Keller (@jaredbkeller) November 25, 2014
One Twitter sleuth, though, noticed that CNN’s “verified” blue checkmark was absent from the tweet.
@jaredbkeller @andrewmdooley @jeffgoldesq Looks like a fake or doctored image considering CNN'S account is verified & would have checkmark.
— Ross Maghielse (@Maghielse) November 25, 2014
Is it just a hoax? It certainly looks like it, though CNN’s Don Lemon on air claimed he had sources who said the same thing.
Don Lemon pretty much just said the same thing, breathlessly
MT @NewsBreaker: @CNN tweeted and quickly untweeted pic.twitter.com/z6t5xPhmvj
— Cameron Gray (@Cameron_Gray) November 25, 2014
Breaking: @DonLemon live on CNN: source close to Darren Wilson says Wilson's reps have concluded "that there is going to be no indictment."
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) November 25, 2014
@brianstelter @donlemon well, there is no way Don lemon is wrong.
— John DePetro Show (@JohnDePetroshow) November 25, 2014
@brianstelter is it speculation?
— Matt (@iPadMatt) November 25, 2014
https://twitter.com/mdnsk/status/537059531004862464
Gentlemen, it's less than 15 minutes. Be professional and just hold your speculations. @brianstelter @donlemon #Ferguson
— Taylor Marsh (@taylormarsh) November 25, 2014
A fine idea.
.@CNN has been using the “we are moments away” from grand jury decision line for hours now.
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) November 25, 2014