NO CASE

Washington Post Urges Judge to Throw Out Covington Teen's $250m Libel Case

Nicholas Sandmann claims coverage damaged his reputation.

The Washington Post has urged a federal court to throw out a $250m libel case brought against it by the high school student who was catapulted to national attention after his confrontation with a Native American elder at the Lincoln Memorial went viral. Covington Catholic High School student Nicholas Sandmann is suing the newspaper over its coverage of the incident—the 16-year-old's lawyers claim the reports caused “permanent harm” to his reputation and “severe emotional distress.” The paper’s motion, filed in U.S. District Court in Covington, Kentucky says its coverage “may not have been flattering of the Covington Catholic students ... but they do not give rise to a defamation claim by Sandmann.” It goes on: “He and others who were present may well have been embarrassed by the attention—and hurt by the criticism—they received ... But Sandmann does not have a cause of action for libel against the Washington Post.” The boy has also has sued CNN for allegedly defamatory coverage, seeking $275 million.

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