A Story Punctuated by Death (Lt Col Charles Riechers)

The Washington Post ^ | Nov 3, 2007 | Deborah Howell

[RDTF]

On Oct. 1, The Post ran a Page 1 story about a temporary Pentagon assignment given a retired Air Force officer by a defense contractor. On Oct. 14, the officer, Lt. Col. Charles Riechers, was found dead, apparently a suicide. On Oct. 17, the Air Force complained about the story.

The suicide of someone featured in a critical story is first a family's tragedy but also a journalist's nightmare. The story's author, business investigative reporter Robert O'Harrow Jr., expressed deep sadness at Riechers's death and the family's loss.

O'Harrow wrote that Riechers went to work for Commonwealth Research Institute, a nonprofit defense contractor in Johnstown, Pa., for two months and was paid $26,800. Riechers was awaiting appointment by the White House to the No. 2 job in Air Force procurement, a political position. O'Harrow quoted Riechers: "I really didn't do anything for CRI." Instead, he worked for Sue C. Payton, assistant Air Force secretary for acquisition, on projects with no connection to CRI. Payton was to become his boss.

Lt. Col. Edward W. Thomas, an Air Force spokesman, said that the story was "highly misleading," as was the main headline: "Air Force Arranged No-Work Contract."

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