Paper apologizes for column tying Peterson case to slavery
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) A Wisconsin newspaper is apologizing for a columnist who connected Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson's child abuse case to beatings suffered by slaves.
Green Bay-Press Gazette columnist Pete Dougherty's remark came in a column calling for the Packers to consider signing Peterson.
Referencing the charge Peterson faced for disciplining his son with a wooden switch, Dougherty wrote that Peterson ''likely is descended from slaves who suffered savage disciplinary beatings generation after generation after generation. It excuses nothing but also can't be ignored.''
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Press-Gazette removed the paragraph Thursday night and apologized to readers. In a statement Friday, editor Robert Zizzo called it ''a huge mistake in judgment by a reporter and failed oversight by editors.''
The column was also carried by USA Today and the affiliated PackersNews.com.
Dougherty didn't respond to messages seeking comment.