Posted on 07/14/2013 5:51:14 AM PDT by Gorilla44
George Zimmerman's not guilty verdict adds a new wrinkle to a separate legal case in the Florida courts: His defamation suit against NBC.
In December, Zimmerman sued NBC, reporter Ron Allen and two other news personnel on claims that the network's edits of his 911 call to police were manipulated to make it sound like he was a racist. The Florida judge in Zimmerman's case, Debra Nelson, put the defamation case on hold pending the result of the criminal trial.
Jody Armour, professor at USC's Gould School of Law, said that although it is "possible" that Zimmerman's claim against the network will be strengthened, it "may not have a big impact because he has to prove actual malice if he is trying to prove defamation."
He believes that Zimmerman "is almost certainly going to fall into the classification" of a public figure, raising the bar for plaintiffs, in that they have to prove knowledge that they knew that the information was false or had reckless disregard for the truth. (clip) In media defamation cases, plaintiffs have to show that the facts about them were false, that the news story was about them and caused harm and, in the case of public figures, that there was malice, or that the news outlet knew it was false and went ahead and published it anyway. Zimmerman was not a public figure before the shooting of Trayvon Martin last year, and an issue in his litigation may very well be the extent to which he falls into the category of a "limited purpose" public figure. Courts have weighed the extent to which a person voluntarily becomes part of public debate.
(Excerpt) Read more at sun-sentinel.com ...
How I would love to see Zimmerman go after these guys and win. I basically hate the MSM. How I would love to see someone actually make these people accountable for their habitual fraud and misrepresentation. I hope he has a good lawyer like his defense attorney O’Mara who skewered the media after the trial in a way I’ve few do.
Zimmerman new private home will be 30 Rockefeller Plaza.
I wonder if West & O’Mara will continue to represent him
if he does decide to sue them.
How so? Any editing would be deliberate.
The first thing I see this morning are headlines saying Zimmerman not guilty and the Media still using the picture of a 12 year old Martin.
The media is not letting up they are begging blacks to riot. It sells newspapers I guess.
I THINK MOM said they were going to represent him??
Someone correct me if I’m wrong.
Flip the people that NBC fired for altering the tapes... they were ordered by management to create lies from audio recordings and paid the price.
“Hope George ends up OWNING the NBC network.”
Then it would be NBZ!
“I wonder if West & OMara will continue to represent him
if he does decide to sue them.”
I heard if the martins attempt a civil suit they would represent GZ in that.
But he would have to prove that the editing was done for the purpose of slandering him. That isn't going to be easy to prove.
But having said that, I think Zimmerman should push ahead with his suit. The odds are that NBC will settle rather than take the chance of a trial. Unfortunately whatever he gets will probably be eaten up by his legal bills from the trial and the inevitable Martin wrongful death lawsuit.
“Zimmerman was not a public figure before the shooting of Trayvon Martin last year, and an issue in his litigation may very well be the extent to which he falls into the category of a limited purpose public figure. Courts have weighed the extent to which a person voluntarily becomes part of public debate.”
I’m no legal expert but George did not voluntarily put himself in the public debate. Obama and his henchmen (activists & media) put him in the public debate. I could be way off here but that’s how I see it.
I don't think Zimmerman needs to. Just the fact that NBC fired those responsible speaks for itself. I think they'll settle for "an undisclosed sum" rather than let a jury get hold of this.
I would tend to agree with you on that. Zimmerman has not been peddling his story on Dateline or giving interviews for People. He has not intentionally put himself into the public view so I wouldn't think that he would qualify as a celebrity. His ability to sue should be the same as for you and me.
You tell that to the estate of Richard Jewell....he took their ass to the cleaners.
"He believes that Zimmerman "is almost certainly going to fall into the classification" of a public figure, raising the bar for plaintiffs, in that they have to prove knowledge that they knew that the information was false or had reckless disregard for the truth."
If NBC did nothing wrong, why did they fire the producers? I don't think they want to go through discovery, and I don't think they want to go to trial. I think they'll try to quietly settle this.
The case was on hold because of the criminal trial. Now it can go forward.
There is no evidence that Zimmerman is guilty, yet the Left think he is, based on their own racial prejudice and bigotry
LOL OUTSTANDING!
Now that’s funny!
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