Media overhypes a cautious plea for assistance made by scientists. Scientists receive their assistance, and announce that the discrepancy has been resolved. Media looks foolish, and claims the entire incident is indicative of flaws in the current state of science.
That case is more complicated. Notwithstanding the screwed up nature of the Italian courts, those scientists didn't just fail to predict an earthquake they actively encouraged people to ignore the danger. The scientists in question claimed that the tremors removed energy from the fault zone and actually made the situation safer and that there was "no danger".
Now, I think it's still open for debate whether what the scientists did justifies charges of manslaughter, but the idea that they were charged merely for failing to predict earthquakes is very wrong.
Good times.