Nicholas Sandmann is a step closer to being a multi-millionaire after U.S. District Court Judge William Bertelsman ruled that his lawsuit against NBCUniversal may proceed with discovery.
Sandmann also has suits against the Washington Post and CNN.
Although the judge threw out some of the lawsuit, he ruled that Sandmann can sue based on the fact they claimed that they said he blocked a protester and wouldn’t let him pass.
NBCUNiversal will now have to produce the documents pertaining to the story.
The judge ruled that the part of the story about blocking the protester is valid.
Judge Bertelsman in his order said:
“[T]he court finds that the statements that plaintiff ‘blocked’ Phillips or did not allow him to retreat, if false, meet the test of being libelous per se under the definition quoted above.”
At least one or more of the outlets would love to settle – but not for the amount that Sandmann is suing. The bad publicity alone is not good.
At this point, the cases will go to court, and the media outlets will go all-out to win the suit.
The problem is, everything is documented, and video of the argument shows Sandmann is completely innocent.
Sandmann attorney Lin Wood wrote on Twitter: “As predicted, today Judge Bertelsman entered an order allowing the Nicholas Sandmann case against NBCUniversal to proceed to discovery just as he had earlier ruled with respect to WaPo & CNN cases. Huge, huge win!”
“After reviewing an amended complaint, Judge William Bertelsman ordered Monday that the case could enter the discovery phase and hence a portion of the lawsuit against the newspaper could continue,” the Cincinnati Enquirer reported. “The judge’s order that discovery can continue means Sandmann’s legal team can make requests for internal Washington Post documents concerning the events like emails and communications between editors and reporters.”
