“It’s still a ‘CIVIL SUIT’. So what’s your point?”
Who said it wasn’t a civil suit? There may be criminal issues, but I have never heard of any being pursued. I don’t know where the “civil suit” (or not) discussion even arose. Certainly not from me. It is a civil suit filed in federal court under laws granting protections to the plaintiff Snyder and his family, notably his late son. The suit was for Defamation, Invasion of Privacy, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress and Conspiracy.
The ‘civil’ I am concerned with is what has been lacking in some quarters in this thread.
If you understand that it’s a ‘civil suit’, then why did you write this???
” However, as a legal matter, it is fair to ask if the verdict and judgment will hold up on appeal and how it affects everyone’s First Amendment rights.”
First Amendment rights have nothing to do with being sued by another citizen.
There is absolutely nothing in The Bill of Rights that protects you from other citizens, because it wasn’t written that way. It was written to protect you from the GOVERNMENT.
The laws, set forth by the Federal and State governments do that.