USA Today editor quits amid scandal

The editor of USA Today, the country's largest-selling newspaper, retired suddenly yesterday amid a scandal over fabrications and deceptions by Jack Kelley, one of the paper's star reporters.

Karen Jurgensen, 55, had been the paper's editor since 1999. Her departure came on the heels of a comprehensive report on the Kelley fiasco compiled by three veteran newspaper editors.

Kelley resigned in January after admitting to trying to deceive editors checking into the veracity of some of his reporting. A subsequent inquiry found that he made up major parts of at least eight stories and committed several acts of plagiarism.