EXCLUSIVE: Tweet ABC executive Jo Puccini doesn’t want you to see former commando Heston Russell sue national broadcaster for reporting ‘sloppy war crimes’

An ABC executive has quietly deleted her Twitter account after a grueling cross-examination in a defamation suit brought by former commando Heston Russell.

ABC’s Chief of Investigations and Current Affairs, Jo Puccini, withstood a tough cross-examination by defamation side Sue Chrysanthou SC in Federal Court on Friday over her oversight of alleged war crimes coverage by investigative reporters Mark Willacy and Josh Robertson.

Heston Russell is suing the ABC and the two investigative reporters for libel over stories published in 2020 and 2021 that he said appeared to be under investigation for shooting an unarmed prisoner.

Ms Chrysanthou zoomed in on a tweet in which Puccini reportedly took a swipe at 2GB, a radio station in Sydney, in November 2021.

High-profile 2GB presenter Ben Fordham had criticized Willacy’s coverage of the account of a US Marine who only “distracted” but did not witness a 2012 killing by Australian soldiers of a tied Afghan prisoner in Afghanistan.

Puccini’s Twitter account seemed to disappear this weekend.

In November 2022, Judge Michael Lee ruled that the ABC’s reporting contained a range of defamatory meanings, including that Russell, as commander of the November platoon, was involved in the shooting and killing of an Afghan prisoner.

The ABC is seeking to rely on a new public interest defense introduced in NSW in July 2021 and being tested for the first time in this case.

Puccini’s tweet published a link to a follow-up story alleging that the November platoon was under criminal investigation as a result of a rejected FOI response from the ABC to the Department of Defense.

When confronted with the tweet during her cross-examination, Puccini said, “And why I tweet this, I don’t know. I was clear – I clearly made a mistake.’

Puccini also admitted that she made mistakes when checking the articles, but did not accept the ABC, should have sought an answer from the members of November Platoon prior to the October article.

Mrs Chrysanthou claimed Willacy ‘didn’t want to find the truth’ and engaged in a ‘shocking violation’ of ethics when he reported war crimes allegations he ‘couldn’t confirm’

Puccini’s tweet from November 19, 2021 published a link to a follow-up story alleging that the November platoon was under criminal investigation as a result of a rejected FOI response from the ABC to the Department of Defense

READ MORE: THE ABC REPORTER, the 2GB producer and special forces command

An ABC journalist being sued for alleged defamation by an Australian special forces soldier has now been accused of verbally abusing a producer for 2GB radio.

Heston Russell is suing the ABC and two of its investigative reporters over stories published in 2020 and 2021.

2GB’s Ben Fordham denounced the ABC for his stories about Mr Russell, claiming that Willacy ‘called us off the air one morning, shouting about our coverage of this case’.

2 GB breakfast host Ben Fordham

2 GB senior producer James Willis

Puccini’s appearance on the witness stand quickly sparked a series of memes in the veteran community that circulated through social media and text messages.

Puccini is ABC’s latest employee whose personal social media has caused trouble for the broadcaster, which has punished several staff for posting on platforms such as Twitter.

The ABC executive was the final witness in a six-day libel suit brought by Russell.

Earlier in the week, the court heard evidence from Robertson that 2GB and Fordham had aired multiple stories critical of Willacy and the ABC’s coverage.

Former soldier Heston Russell (pictured with his legal team) fought back tears in court as he performed this week

A series of memes circulated on social media after Ms Puccini’s lackluster performance on the witness stand

Mr Willacy has been the focus of many of the memes circulating on social media