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Sandmann’s Second Defamation Suit Hits CNN For $275 Million

Virginia Kruta Associate Editor
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Lawyers for Covington Catholic High School student Nick Sandmann filed a second defamation lawsuit Tuesday, this one hitting CNN for $275 million.

The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Kentucky and read, in part:

In short, the false and defamatory gist of CNN’s collective reporting conveyed to its viewers and readers that Nicholas was the face of an unruly hate mob of hundreds of white racist high school students who physically assaulted, harassed, and taunted two different minority groups engaged in peaceful demonstrations, preaching, song, and prayer.

The suit addresses four television broadcasts and nine articles specifically, alleging that they contain statements toward or about Sandmann that are defamatory. (RELATED: Nicholas Sandmann’s Lawyer Says He’s Likely Going After CNN Next, And The Stakes Could Be Higher)

“The CNN accusations are totally and unequivocally false and CNN would have known them to be untrue had it undertaken any reasonable efforts to verify their accuracy before publication of its false and defamatory accusations,” the suit continues.

Sandmann attorney Lin Wood shared the full text of the suit on Twitter, adding that there were “many more steps to take but we know change will only occur if there is accountability for false accusations. And change is needed now more than ever.”

The suit is seeking $75 million for harm to Sandmann’s reputation and $200 million in punitive damages.

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