Michael Brooks
On August 2, 2019, eight Covington Catholic students filed a defamation lawsuit against 12 individuals, including lawmakers, journalists, and social media personalities. The lawsuit stems from an incident on January 18, 2019, when Covington Catholic students wearing MAGA hats confronted a 65-year-old Native American man, Nathan Phillips, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants libeled the minors by painting them as racists and lying about an event they did not witness firsthand. The Covington Catholic teens sought to hold individuals accountable and prevent future families from experiencing similar situations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Covington Catholic students | 8 |
| Number of individuals being sued | 12 |
| Type of individuals being sued | Lawmakers, journalists/media figures, social media personalities |
| Type of lawsuit | Defamation |
| Location of lawsuit filing | Kentucky's Kenton County Circuit Court |
| Attorneys representing the students | Robert Barnes, Kevin Murphy |
| Incident date | January 18, 2019 |
| Incident location | Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C. |
| Covington students | Nick Sandmann, Nicholas Sandmann |
| Native American man | Nathan Phillips |
| Age of Native American man | 65 |
| Outcome | Some lawsuits settled, others dismissed |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- The lawsuit claims that the defendants libelled the minors
- The defendants jumped to conclusions, painting the plaintiffs as racists
- The plaintiffs asked the defendants to retract their statements, but they refused
- The lawsuit is against 12 individuals, including lawmakers and journalists
- The incident occurred on January 18, 2019, during a field trip to Washington, D.C
The lawsuit claims that the defendants libelled the minors
On August 2, 2019, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of eight unnamed Covington Catholic students, seeking $1.4–4.8 million in damages for defamation. The lawsuit was filed against a dozen public figures, including lawmakers, journalists, media figures, and social media personalities. The lawsuit claims that the defendants libelled the minors, jumping to conclusions and painting the plaintiffs as racists. The lawsuit also alleges that the defendants lied about an event they didn't witness firsthand.
The lawsuit states that the plaintiffs offered each defendant the opportunity to retract, correct, or delete their offending and defamatory statements, but each refused, continuing to share their defamatory comments with the public. The lawsuit is not about fame or fortune, but about protecting future families from experiencing the same nightmare that the defendants caused these minors to experience. The lawsuit claims that prominent politicians, press, and public personalities used their large social media platforms to form a digital lynch mob against the minors, who were wearing MAGA hats and came face to face with a 65-year-old Native American man, Nathan Phillips.
The incident occurred on January 18, 2019, during a field trip to Washington, D.C., when two separate marches were held: the Indigenous Peoples March and the March for Life. Short videos of the encounter were uploaded to social media platforms, receiving millions of views and triggering outrage in the United States, including calls to dox the students and threats of violence against them and the school. The lawsuit claims that the defendants contributed to this outrage by spreading false and defamatory information about the minors.
The defendants in the lawsuit include Senator Elizabeth Warren, Representative Deb Haaland, CNN's Ana Navarro, Maggie Haberman of the New York Times, comedian Kathy Griffin, ABC News political analyst Matthew Dowd, Reza Aslan (formerly of CNN), Kentucky entrepreneur Adam Edelen, Princeton University History Professor Kevin M. Kruse, activist and journalist Shaun King, Mother Jones editor-in-chief Clara Jeffery, and Rewire.News editor-in-chief Jodi Jacobson. The suits against Senator Warren and Representative Haaland were dismissed based on legislative immunity.
Notre Dame Professors: Catholic or Not?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The defendants jumped to conclusions, painting the plaintiffs as racists
On August 2, 2019, eight unnamed Covington Catholic students filed a defamation lawsuit against a dozen public figures, seeking $1.4–4.8 million in damages. The lawsuit accused the defendants of jumping to conclusions and painting the plaintiffs as racists. The defendants were named as Senator Elizabeth Warren, Representative Deb Haaland, CNN's Ana Navarro, Maggie Haberman of the New York Times, comedian Kathy Griffin, ABC News political analyst Matthew Dowd, Reza Aslan, Kentucky entrepreneur Adam Edelen, Princeton University History Professor Kevin M. Kruse, activist and journalist Shaun King, Mother Jones editor-in-chief Clara Jeffery, and Rewire.News editor-in-chief Jodi Jacobson.
The lawsuit stems from an incident on January 18, 2019, when Covington Catholic High School student Nicholas Sandmann and other students from the school came face to face with a 65-year-old Native American man, Nathan Phillips, near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The encounter was captured in photos and videos that went viral on social media, receiving millions of views and sparking outrage across the United States. Initial media reports omitted details and falsely portrayed the Catholic students as aggressors, which led to death threats against the students and the temporary closure of the school.
The lawsuit alleges that the defendants, who are lawmakers, journalists, and social media personalities, lied about an event they didn't witness firsthand and libeled the minors. The plaintiffs offered the defendants the opportunity to retract, correct, or delete their defamatory statements but they refused. The lawsuit also states that the plaintiffs are not seeking fame or fortune but aim to protect future families from experiencing a similar nightmare.
Some of the defendants, such as CNN, The Washington Post, and NBCUniversal, have settled lawsuits with the Covington students, while others like The New York Times, CBS, ABC, Rolling Stone, and Gannett, have successfully defended themselves against the lawsuits.
Preparing for Catholic Baptism: Am I Ready?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The plaintiffs asked the defendants to retract their statements, but they refused
On August 2, 2019, eight unnamed Covington Catholic students filed a defamation lawsuit against a dozen public figures, seeking $1.4–4.8 million in damages. The lawsuit was filed in response to an incident that occurred on January 18, 2019, during a field trip to Washington, D.C. During this trip, the Covington Catholic students, who were wearing "Make America Great Again" hats, came face to face with a 65-year-old Native American man, Nathan Phillips. The incident was captured in photos and videos that went viral on social media and received widespread media coverage.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, represented by attorneys Robert Barnes and Kevin Murphy, argued that the defendants, including lawmakers, journalists, and social media personalities, jumped to conclusions and painted the plaintiffs as racists without witnessing the event firsthand. The lawsuit claimed that the defendants libeled the minors and caused them harm.
Prior to filing the lawsuit, the plaintiffs repeatedly offered the defendants the opportunity to retract, correct, or delete their allegedly defamatory statements. However, the defendants refused and continued to share their comments with the public. As a result, the plaintiffs decided to take legal action to protect themselves and future families from experiencing similar situations.
The defendants in the lawsuit included prominent individuals such as Senator Elizabeth Warren, Representative Deb Haaland, CNN’s Ana Navarro, Maggie Haberman of the New York Times, and comedian Kathy Griffin. Some of these individuals and organizations have denied the allegations or stated that they will defend themselves against the lawsuit.
God's Blessings and Protection: Catholic Faith
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The lawsuit is against 12 individuals, including lawmakers and journalists
On August 2, 2019, a lawsuit was filed against a dozen public figures seeking $1.4–4.8 million in damages on behalf of eight unnamed Covington Catholic students (John Does 1-8). The lawsuit accuses 12 individuals, including lawmakers, journalists, media figures, and social media personalities, of defamation.
The defendants include Senator Elizabeth Warren, Representative Deb Haaland, CNN's Ana Navarro, Maggie Haberman of the New York Times, comedian Kathy Griffin, ABC News political analyst Matthew Dowd, Reza Aslan (formerly of CNN), Kentucky entrepreneur Adam Edelen, Princeton University History Professor Kevin M. Kruse, activist and journalist Shaun King, Mother Jones editor-in-chief Clara Jeffery, and Rewire.News editor-in-chief Jodi Jacobson.
The lawsuit stems from an incident on January 18, 2019, when a group of minors from Covington, Kentucky, wearing MAGA hats, came face to face with a 65-year-old Native American man, Nathan Phillips, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The short videos of the encounter were uploaded to social media platforms and received millions of views. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants jumped to conclusions, painting the plaintiffs as racists and libeling the minors. The plaintiffs offered the defendants the opportunity to retract or correct their statements but were refused.
The lawsuit is not about seeking fame or fortune but about protecting future families from experiencing similar nightmares. Robert Barnes, one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs, said that the lawsuit is about ensuring legal consequences for those who use their social media platforms to target and bully minors.
Catholic Charities: Tuition Debt Relief Options
You may want to see also
The incident occurred on January 18, 2019, during a field trip to Washington, D.C
On January 18, 2019, during a field trip to Washington, D.C., a group of minors from Covington, Kentucky, were involved in a confrontation that received widespread media attention and sparked intense debate. The incident, which took place near the Lincoln Memorial, involved students from Covington Catholic High School, including Nicholas Sandmann, and Native American activists, notably Nathan Phillips.
The Covington students, many of whom wore "Make America Great Again" hats, were in the nation's capital for the March for Life, an anti-abortion rally. Meanwhile, the Indigenous Peoples March, led by Phillips, aimed to raise awareness for indigenous peoples' issues. The two groups intersected on the Plaza of the Lincoln Memorial, resulting in a tense encounter.
Short videos of the incident quickly spread across social media, attracting millions of views. Initial media reports and public reactions condemned the Catholic students as aggressors, accusing them of taunting and mobbing Phillips. The students and their school received threats of violence, leading to the temporary closure of Covington Catholic High School.
In response to the incident, eight Covington Catholic students filed a defamation lawsuit in Kentucky's Kenton County Circuit Court. The lawsuit, filed on August 2, 2019, named 12 individuals, including lawmakers, journalists, and social media personalities, as defendants. The plaintiffs, identified as John Does 1-8, alleged that the defendants libeled them by jumping to conclusions and portraying them as racists without witnessing the event firsthand.
The lawsuit sought to hold individuals accountable rather than institutions, increasing the chances of success under Kentucky libel law. The plaintiffs demanded retractions and corrections from the defendants but faced continued dissemination of defamatory statements. The suit also stated that the plaintiffs sought damages equivalent to the cost of four-year tuition at the University of Kentucky, reflecting their intention to protect future families from similar experiences.
FBI Influence: Changing the Catholic Church from Within
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
On January 18, 2019, there was a confrontation between groups of political demonstrators near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. MAGA hat-wearing Covington Catholic High School student Nicholas Sandmann and his classmates were involved in an interaction with 65-year-old Native American Nathan Phillips.
The short videos of the encounter that were uploaded to social media platforms received millions of views and were widely shared. The students received death threats and Covington Catholic High School temporarily closed due to safety concerns.
Eight Covington Catholic students filed a defamation lawsuit against 12 individuals, including lawmakers, journalists, and social media personalities. The lawsuit accused the defendants of libeling the minors by painting them as racists without witnessing the event firsthand.
