(Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Comedy Central)
As nice as it was to see Alec Baldwin in Beetlejuice and The Cat in the Hat, I really would rather not see him in court again. This time he is accused of defamation. Again. A family’s repeatedly dismissed libel lawsuit against him was given just one more chance to hold out. That probably won’t be the case, but when there’s $25 million at stake, people want as many hitting chances as possible. From AP News:
Earlier this week, in Manhattan, Judge Edgardo Ramos dismissed the family’s defamation lawsuit seeking $25 million in damages. However, he asked for the lawsuit to be refiled to correct deficiencies and renew the claims of defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
…
Attorney Dennis Postiglione is representing the sisters and widow of Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum said he will meet a September 12 deadline set by the judge to renew allegations that Baldwin threatened and molested family members online after posting and commenting on a photo shared online by one of McCollum’s sisters, Roice McCollum had been in Washington during the January 6, 2021 riot.
The defamation lawsuit stems from Baldwin’s decision to label one of McCollum’s sisters a rioter and rioter after he found out she had attended the Jan. 6 protest against Joe Biden’s election. Merriam-Webster would also support the use of those words… if she were actually involved in the moments of the insurgency. She replied that she left before MAGA Saturnalia began, and considering the FBI acquitted her after an investigation, she’s probably telling the truth.
She is furious that internet trolls have been doing what they do best after Baldwin leaked some information that personally identifies her and said some very mean things to her and her family. Unfortunately, that’s not defamation – at least that’s what the judge who dismissed the case says:
(R)amos drew several conclusions in Baldwin’s favour, including that his comments were protected by the First Amendment, that actual malevolence was not sufficiently alleged, and that private messages, comments, and social media posts did not support claims of libel.
Who knows, the refiled lawsuit might successfully address Judge Ramos’ concerns! I wouldn’t hold my breath though – they’ve changed their complaint three times before this one. The fourth time is the stimulus?
Killed Marine’s family plans to re-file defamation lawsuit against Alec Baldwin (AP News)
Chris Williams became social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Before joining the team, he worked part-time as the underage Memelord™ in the Law School Memes Facebook group for Edgy T14s. He stayed in Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University’s St. Louis School of Law. A former boat builder who can’t swim, he is a published author on critical racing theory, philosophy and humor, and has a fondness for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can email him at cwilliams@abovethelaw.com and tweet at @WritesForRent.
