Remember Jesse Ventura? Sure you do, although maybe you don’t want to.<\/p>\n
Still, he’s back in the news, suing a writer for defaming him. The story involves a disputed fight in a bar. The writer, an ex-Navy Seal, is dead but that doesn’t stop ole Jesse: the lawsuit has simply moved onto the writer’s widow.<\/p>\n
Aside from reminding all of us that even the entire fine state of Minnesota can go through a psychotic phase and elect, um, him, this Times article gives a pretty good definition of defamation, especially when the defamee is de-fam-oose. (There are different standards, but you knew that.)<\/p>\n
Some of the comments made by Ventura’s lawyer are, let us say, dubious. In my opinion. Without any malice whatsoever.<\/p>\n
So here’s the article, with a nice color pic of Jesse: Ex-Governor, Suing Over Book, Is Back in Minnesota\u2019s Spotlight – NYTimes.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n UPDATE, 7\/17\/14. Wow, the New York Times is avidly pursuing this story, with a follow-up on Jesse’s trial testimony (I hadn’t realized this case had advanced to the trial stage). Ex-Governor, Suing Over Book, Faces His Own Words – NYTimes.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n It’s a solid piece and a neat critique on what happens when a celebrity with a long record of words, etc., gets on the witness stand.<\/p>\n UPDATE 7\/30\/14. I am SO surprised: Jesse Ventura wins $1.8 million in defamation case over ‘American Sniper’ book | syracuse.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Remember Jesse Ventura? Sure you do, although maybe you don’t want to. Still, he’s back in the news, suing a writer for defaming him. The story involves a disputed fight in a bar. The writer, an ex-Navy Seal, is dead … Continue reading