Michael Rapaport Moves For Summary Judgment Against Barstool Sports

Comedian Michael Rapaport moved for summary judgment in a lawsuit against Barstool Sports, Inc., on March 3, 2020, contending that there was enough evidence to find the entertainment company liable for breach of contract and defamation.

According to Rapaport’s complaint, the comedian entered into a contract with Barstool Sports in 2017 to provide video content for the company’s webpage and to host a weekly podcast on the company’s platform for Sirius XM. Rapaport claims that this deal entitled him to $200,000 for the online videos …

January 22, 2020 Baseball / Litigation / MLB / NFL

Former MLB Prospect Sues Yankees for $34 Million

Garrison Lassiter was selected by the New York Yankees in the 27th round of the 2008 MLB draft out of West Forsyth High School in Clemmons, North Carolina. The Yankees gave him a $675,000 signing bonus. In five minor league seasons, Lassiter never played above high-A ball and hit just .244 with four home runs and 73 RBI in 235 games.

In December 2008, Lassiter filed a pro se lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina against the New …

October 28, 2019 Baseball / Defamation / Litigation / MLB

MLB Umpire Joe West Sues Ex-Player Paul Lo Duca for Defamation Over Bribery Claims

Major League Baseball umpire Joe West has filed a lawsuit against ex-player Paul Lo Duca, alleging that Lo Duca defamed West by falsely accusing him of bribery.

In one of his podcasts this past April, Lo Duca claimed that a teammate told him that West engaged in bribery. That teammate, Billy Wagner, allegedly told Lo Duca at a 2006 or 2007 New York Mets v. Philadelphia Phillies game that he lent West his 1957 Chevrolet in exchange for opening up the strike zone for him. …

September 30, 2019 Defamation / Harassment / Litigation / NFL

New England Patriots Player Asks Judge to Throw Out ‘Trash Talk’ Lawsuit

New England Patriots safety Patrick Chung has asked a federal judge to dismiss a defamation lawsuit by a former Los Angeles Rams employee that involves the posting of a text message on social media.

As we reported earlier, former Rams ticket executive Matthew Hogan sued Chung and Matthew Weymouth, a friend of Chung’s who ran his social media pages. The lawsuit is over text messages that Chung posted to his social media. The post consisted of an exchange between Hogan and Weymouth where Hogan …

April 15, 2019 Defamation / Harassment / Litigation / NFL

Patrick Chung Sued over Posted Trash Talk

On March 27, 2019, a former Los Angeles Rams ticket executive, Matthew Hogan, sued Patriots safety Patrick Chung and Matthew Weymouth over trash talk that was later posted on social media. According to the lawsuit, Hogan was “forced from his job” and now cannot find a new job after Weymouth, the man who runs Chung’s social media account, posted a text message exchange, between Hogan and Weymouth, where Hogan said, “Patrick Chung is a b***h.”

According to Hogan, the text message was a joke sent …

January 6, 2016 Celebrities / Litigation

Camille Cosby Wins the Battle, Not the War

Camille Cosby was set to be deposed in a sexual misconduct and defamation lawsuit filed by seven different accusers against her husband, comedian Bill Cosby, on Wednesday, January 6, 2016 in Springfield, Massachusetts. In an attempt to block the subpoena, Mrs. Cosby’s attorneys filed a motion to quash the subpoena for the deposition on the basis that information gathered would be protected by the marital privilege. The motion to quash was denied by United States Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy. The Magistrate wrote that he …

March 24, 2015 Defamation / Doping / MLB

Clemens’ Defamation Lawsuit Reaches Settlement

On Wednesday March 18, the defamation-based legal dispute between Roger Clemens and his former trainer, Brian McNamee, arising from allegations that the long-time MLB pitcher used performance enhancing drugs, has finally settled.

The dispute began over 7 years ago with the publication of the now infamous Mitchell Report. In the report, pitching trainer, Brian McNamee, accused both Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens of taking performance enhancing drugs banned by the MLB. Though Pettitte quickly admitted to his use, Clemens denied, and continues to deny, …

February 13, 2015 Defamation / NCAA

NCAA to Disclose Documents Related to Former USC Coach’s Defamation Action

A California appeals court denied on Friday the NCAA’s attempt to seal hundreds of documents in connection with a defamation suit brought by a former University of Southern California (USC) assistant football coach Todd McNair who was sanctioned for his part in the Reggie Bush scandal.

Previously, the trial court blocked the NCAA’s bid to seal hundreds of pages of internal emails and other documents in the lawsuit where McNair asserted breach of contract and defamation claims among others.

Although the NCAA argued disclosing the …

November 13, 2014 Defamation / TV

Nancy Grace’s False Accusations Land Her in Court

On Monday, November 10, a lawsuit was filed in Denver against television commentator, Nancy Grace, for defamation. Known for her aggressive on-air antics, Grace could be facing more than just one complaint.

The lawsuit filed this week stems from a false crime report out of Denver back in January. A woman, after putting her children to bed at night, saw a man’s photo on her cell phone and called the cops. She told the police she thought he broke into her home, took a selfie …

October 17, 2014 Defamation

‘Birdman’ Production Company Under Attack by Former CEO & Founder

Worldview Entertainment’s much anticipated black comedy, ‘Birdman’ opens in theaters this Friday amid great legal turmoil. Former CEO and founder, Chris Woodrow, fired back at the production company that fired him with a lawsuit claiming defamation.

Earlier this month, Woodrow’s business partner at Worldview Entertainment, Maria Cestone, brought a lawsuit against the founder claiming misappropriation of funds. Cestone accused Woodrow and his wife of embezzling more than $700,000 to pay for personal trips to Halifax and Lake Placid and to pay for …