The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review Nicholas Sandmann's defamation case against major media companies, including The New York Times, ABC, CBS, Rolling Stone, and Gannett, for their coverage of a 2019 incident involving Sandmann and Native American activist Nathan Phillips. Sandmann, who was seeking more than a billion dollars in damages, claimed the outlets defamed him by inaccurately reporting on the encounter, which occurred at the Lincoln Memorial following the March for Life. Court records indicate Phillips approached Sandmann and other students, contrary to reports suggesting Sandmann, wearing a Make America Great Again hat, blocked Phillips in an intimidating manner. Sandmann's legal team criticized the media for not fact-checking and failing to adhere to journalistic standards. The case was previously lost in lower courts, with judges ruling the media's coverage as protected opinion on a newsworthy event.
Mr. Sandmann lost in lower courts when the judges reasoned the media companies reported on a newsworthy event and Mr. Phillips’ characterization of what unfolded — that he was being blocked — was protected by opinion. https://t.co/HFeyzLVMpT
“By not fact-checking, and indeed without the mere semblance of care or research, these publications ignored the basic ethical and investigatory obligations of professional journalism,” read Mr. Sandmann’s petition. https://t.co/HFeyzLVMpT
In reality, it was Mr. Phillips who had approached Mr. Sandmann and several other students while they waited for buses after the event to head home, according to the court records. https://t.co/HFeyzLVMpT
Mr. Sandmann’s lawyer said the media outlets defamed their client by not fact-checking what occurred, instead reporting that the young man was blocking Mr. Phillips — who was beating a drum — from passing by in an intimidating way while wearing a Make America Great Again hat.…
Mr. Sandmann was caught in a viral video with American Indian Nathan Phillips as they stood nose to nose in front of the Lincoln Memorial following the March for Life. https://t.co/HFeyzLVMpT
Supreme Court won’t review Nicholas Sandmann’s defamation case https://t.co/v7JEDnmzLZ https://t.co/lPfMODlk9b
Mr. Sandmann's suit asked for more than a billion dollars in damages against The New York Times, ABC, CBS, Rolling Stone and Gannett. https://t.co/HFeyzLVMpT
The Supreme Court this week declined to take up an appeal from Nicholas Sandmann, who sued major media companies alleging they defamed him in 2019. https://t.co/Uy4HfaHbdk
Supreme Court won't review Nicholas Sandmann's defamation case - https://t.co/SRwb7Da8XK - @washtimes
Supreme Court won't review Nicholas Sandmann’s defamation case https://t.co/64Kh6QfsSr
George Washington University faces $10mn disinformation lawsuit https://t.co/rPN58fwyIS
The U.S. #SupremeCourt has turned down a case against news outlets that conveyed unsupported information from a Native American activist who approached students in Washington. https://t.co/YPRreDe6Ct