Blogger Who Broke Abuse Story Releases Email Exchange With Conlin
By Jim Melwert
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The sports blogger who broke the Bill Conlin abuse story has released an email exchange he had with Conlin.
Deadspin.com editor A.J. Daulerio says it started with an email from Conlin on Monday afternoon, with the subject line: "Hot Button Issue", asking Daulerio to call Conlin about a "potentially explosive story."
Daulerio wrote a tribute piece on Conlin for Philadelphia Magazine in back in 2009.
He says, Monday, Conlin laid out what Daulerio calls a "muddled timeline" of the accusations by his niece. He talked about an on-going family dispute. And also hints the story about the allegations was run by the Inquirer because of "an on-going turf war with the Daily News."
The hall-of-fame sports columnist says "I am a lot bigger to the Daily News than Sandusky ever was to Penn State."
Daulerio says Conlin sounded desperate, and at one point, even hinted at possible suicide saying he was at his condo in Key Largo, "Hanging out with the fishes I might opt to sleep with if this sees the light of day."
Since the original story was published, two additional people have claimed they were sexually abused by Conlin, bringing the total number of claims to six.
Conlin says he's concerned what the fallout could mean to his family, worried his grandchildren would be taunted at school.
Since the story was published in the Inquirer, Conlin is refusing comment, speaking only through his attorney.