Star Tribune Film Critic Resigns Amidst Plagiarism Accusations

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The Minneapolis Star Tribune says its film critic has resigned in the face of plagiarism accusations.

The newspaper says it was tipped by a reader and confirmed instances in which Colin Covert's reviews included unique phrases previously used by writers for several publications, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and Hollywood Reporter.

Covert had been a staff writer at the Star Tribune for more than 30 years. His questioned reviews span many years and include one as recent as last month.

The newspaper published a statement from Covert in which he apologized for compromising what he called the Star Tribune's "meticulous reputation for integrity." He thanked the paper for his career and said: "When blunders occur it is proper to admit them, correct them and move on."

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