Linda Deutsch, a special correspondent for the Associated Press known for covering some of America's most high-profile trials, had died at 80. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2022, Deutsch underwent successful treatment until the disease's return this summer. She died Sunday at her Los Angeles home, surrounded by loved ones.
Deutsch began her career with the 1969 trial of Sirhan Sirhan, Robert F. Kennedy's assassin. She went on to cover notorious cases involving Charles Manson, OJ Simpson, Michael Jackson, Patty Hearst, Phil Spector, the Menendez Brothers, "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski, the officers charged in Rodney King's beating, and many others. For decades, she didn't miss a single appeal or parole hearing of each convicted Manson Family member. Louis D. Boccardi, a former AP executive editor, praised her for mastering celebrity trial coverage and becoming "something of a media celebrity herself."
The AP's Julie Pace lauded her fearless reporting and tireless work ethic. Defense attorney Thomas Mesereau, who represented Michael Jackson, called her "the epitome of ethics and professionalism in journalism." Following Simpson's acquittal, he phoned Deutsch to thank her for what he found to be fair and objective coverage; he ended up giving her a number of exclusive interviews. Special correspondent is the most prestigious byline available to an AP reporter. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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