All Westerfield's attorney has to do is call a press conference and say, "Regardless of the speculation and lies that may be found in the papers, my client is innocent of these charges. The report that he was about to take a plea in exchange for information about the location of the body is totally false. He could not have offered to make such a plea because he did not know where the body was."
Why should he have to deny something that was said by someone who is unwilling to identify theirself?
Why should [Westerfield's lawyer] have to deny [an allegation that Westerfield tried to bargain for a life sentence in exchange for telling the police where the girl's body was hidden] . . . that was [alleged] by someone who is unwilling to identify theirself?