Chrissy Teigen and Others Slammed Publishers for 'Take Down' Pieces on the United Airlines Victim
After the violent, forced removal of United Airlines passenger Dr. David Dao, the Courier-Journal published a piece about his 'troubled past'
In the article penned by Morgan Watkins, the Louisville, Kentucky-based publication details the doctor's alleged past with drug-related offenses. According to the Courier-Journal, Dao was arrested in 2005 for illegally prescribing and trafficking painkillers, as well as writing prescriptions in exchange for sex.
The article says that Dao regained his medical license in 2015 and was able to practice under new guidelines.
Immediately, the post was slammed by many people including Chrissy Teigen
Others blamed the publication for falling into the trap of using a victim's past to justify his treatment
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After Watkins's piece gained negative attention, it was discovered there are two Dr. Daos in the Kentucky area
According to Buzzfeed News, a spokesperson for the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure said they had a licensee named David Dao, but that they "cannot confirm that the David Dao from the United flight is our licensee."
The Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure would have record of the doctor who was arrested in 2005 and given his license back in 2015. However, some speculate David Thanh Duc Dao was the man on the plane and David Anh Duy Dao is the doctor registered with the Kentucky Board.
People then shifted their anger to the writer for potentially publishing false information
The executive editor for the Courier-Journal, Joel Christopher, defended the article by saying this was a circumstance where “the national audience, without context, was jumping to an incorrect conclusion.”
“This is an individual who, because of his past case, is known to people in the area,” Christopher told Buzzfeed. “Referring to him without referring to [his past] would be highly unusual.”
