Tribune Co. Owner Sam Zell told Chicago Tribune employees at Freedom Center that Jay Mariotti was an assassin. Zell drew laughter as he said Mariotti, who wrote a scathing piece about Zell in the Chicago Sun-Times last week, was frustrated that he didn't own the Chicago Cubs himself.

Zell, meeting with Chicago-based Tribune Co. for the first time since the company was taken private in December, met with employees of Chicago Tribune at the company's Freedom Center print facility and with employees of Tribune Co. and the Chicago Tribune at the Tribune Tower today.