Is Sean Penn‘s interview for Rolling Stone with El Chapo fake?
One of several of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán lawyers is saying that Sean Penn lied in his famous Rolling Stone interview with the Mexican drug kingpin. “It’s a lie, absurd speculation from Mr Penn,” attorney Juan Pablo Badillo told Reuters.
Badillo is referring to a particular part of the interview where Penn quotes El Chapo for saying, “I supply more heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana than anybody else in the world. I have a fleet of submarines, airplanes, trucks and boats.” Badillo argues that the actor’s comments in the article conflict with El Chapo’s defense. “Mr. Penn should be called to testify to respond about the stupidities he has said,” he added.
Badillo has a long history with El Chapo. He represented the drug kingpin since 1993 and he firmly asserts that Guzmán is a “very serious man, very intelligent” who wouldn’t make such outlandish comments. “Where’s the proof? Where’s the audio?” he asked.
In the Rolling Stone article, Penn says he was not allowed to record his in-person conversations with El Chapo.
After escaping from prison last year, El Chapo was recently recaptured by Mexican authorities. Mexican Attorney General Arely Gomez said his meeting with Sean Penn helped the government find and capture El Chapo. So far, Sean Penn’s comments on the Rolling Stone have been minimal. “I’ve got nothin’ to hide,” the actor told the Associated Press.
Sean Penn is expected to have a sit down interview with Charlie Rose. “I have a thousand questions for Sean and all the other people involved,” Rose toldthe Hollywood Reporter. “It’s a remarkable story.” An excerpt of the interview will air today on CBS This Morning, with the full interview airing on 60 Minutes, this Sunday.
It is important to note that this is not the first time the popular magazine Rolling Stone was accused of fabricating stories. Last year, Rolling Stone came under fire after an article accusing a popular UVA fraternity for raping an innocent woman.
From Variety:
The story’s writer, Sabrina Rubin Erdely, is criticized for not seeking third-party corroboration for many parts of her story, while Rolling Stone managing editor Will Dana and Sean Woods, the principal editor on the piece, are reproached for not pushing Erdely to nail down key details. They were guilty, the study argues, of “confirmation bias,” and were not sufficiently skeptical when holes began to appear in the recollections of their primary source.
Is history repeating itself? Or is Sean Penn telling the truth?
