• by Ray Schultz , October 6, 2024

Patrick Ethridge has resigned as executive editor of Albuquerque Journal following an arrest on an alleged shoplifting charge, the Journal reports.  

The circumstances are murky. But Ethridge, a veteran editor, allegedly skip-scanned more than $100 worth of items in the Walmart self-checkout, the Journal writes. 

Ethridge initially pleaded guilty, but changed that plea to no contest.

“This has been an unfortunate and confusing time for all of us,” says William P. Lang, Albuquerque Journal publisher. in a statement. “Patrick is a talented writer and hard-working editor, but given the circumstances, moving forward without him was our only realistic course of action. We are grateful for his significant contributions during his short tenure here.”

Ethridge was named executive editor and vice president of the Journal in May 2023. Previously, he was editor and publisher of Nebraska’s Beatrice Daily Sun.