I have no idea if he is factually innocent are not, but the defendants would only have to prove the affirmative defense that their statements were true by the preponderance of the evidence, not the beyond a reasonable doubt standard that applied at the criminal trial. The “not guilty” finding should not even be admissible in the civil trial, because it is not a finding of innocence , but rather that the prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt
1984 came late didn’t it?