An attorney representing 10 families from Covington Catholic High School is suing former CNN host Reza Aslan for libel, as well as several other high-profile politicians and members of the media.
Attorney Robert Barnes said Aslan and several others are responsible for inciting death threats against students attending a school trip to the Lincoln Memorial in January 2019. The students were at the center of a media firestorm after video showed Nicholas Sandmann, then 16, reportedly smirking at Native American activist Nathan Phillips.
Aslan, 47, is being sued for a minimum of $135,000 in damages. On Wednesday, Twitter users noticed that Aslan had deleted a Jan. 19, 2019, tweet that read: “Honest question. Have you ever seen a more punchable face than this?” Barnes suggested Aslan deleted the tweet after case processors found Aslan’s address and served him the suit.
“With only a few strokes of the keyboard, the social media lynch mob attempted to ruin the future lives of these students,” Barnes told the Washington Examiner.
Barnes said death threats had been sent to the students through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media platforms.
“These defendants called for the kids to be named and shamed, doxxed and expelled, and invited public retaliation against these minors from a small town in Kentucky,” read the suit filed in August. “The defendants circulated false statements about them to millions of people around the world.”
Barnes said the 10 families are not trying to profit off the situation but instead are interested in having their college education paid for because they believe the media attempted to end any educational prospects the students had.
“The families are seeking no more than the equivalent of scholarship for a four-year degree at the University of Kentucky, which is about $50,000,” Barnes said.
Barnes said he does not represent Sandmann and has not been directly in contact with the student, who recently settled a massive lawsuit against CNN for the network’s coverage of the confrontation. Sandmann’s lawyer, Lin Wood, criticized Barnes Thursday on Twitter for “[crossing the] line with his claims about Nicholas.”
2/ Barnes has been previously warned to stop publicly suggesting or stating that he represents Nicholas. In response, Barnes “blocked” @ToddMcMurtry & me on Twitter. Barnes apparently cannot control his desire to garner publicity by falsely using Nicholas’ name.
— Lin Wood (@LLinWood) January 9, 2020
4/ If Barnes does not cease publishing & then correct his prior false statements, Nicholas’ attorneys are fully prepared to take legal action against him. So Barnes can take the easy way out or he will get out the hard way – we will sue him. His choice.
— Lin Wood (@LLinWood) January 9, 2020
