Report: 'Rolling Stone' rape story author to apologize

John Bacon | USA TODAY

The Columbia Journalism Review on Sunday night will release the results of its examination into a discredited Rolling Stone article detailing an alleged gang rape at a University of Virginia fraternity.

The magazine sought the independent examination after details of the gripping article A Rape on Campus, published in November, failed to hold up under media scrutiny. Eventually, local police also failed to find any evidence supporting the claims made by a student identified as "Jackie."

The magazine issued an apology in December for its failures in reporting and editing. Author Sabrina Rubin Erdely, who defended her reporting when the controversy first blew up, now will issue an apology, CNN reported Sunday.

The report is scheduled to be released on the the CJR and Rolling Stone websites.

Jackie told Rolling Stone she was a freshman in 2012 when she was invited on a date by a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. Afterward, she said they went to his room, where she was brutally attacked by seven men "while two more men -- her date, Drew, and another man -- gave instructions and encouragement."

Police: No evidence of 'Rolling Stone' UVa rape Charlottesville police have not been able to confirm the details of an alleged gang rape at the University of Virginia described in a Rolling Stone article

The story hit the picturesque campus like a bomb. Within days, University President Teresa Sullivan suspended all fraternity activities on campus.

The fraternity quickly challenged key details. The Washington Post was first to publish a long list of factual problems. Rolling Stone later admitted that, at the request of the alleged victim, it never tried to interview the seven accused men.

In January, the university reinstated the fraternity, saying police had told school officials "that their investigation has not revealed any substantive basis to confirm that the allegations raised in the Rolling Stone article occurred at Phi Kappa Psi."

Last month Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo said his detectives found many inconsistencies in the story and no evidence the rape occurred. Longo said more than 70 interviews were conducted, and that the investigation was suspended but not closed.

"I can't prove that something didn't happen," he said. "It's a disservice to Jackie and the university to just close this in case" because more information could become available.