DOVER, Del. — A former Donald Trump supporter who grew to become the middle of a conspiracy principle about Jan. 6, 2021, filed a defamation lawsuit in opposition to Fox News on Wednesday, saying the community made him a scapegoat for the U.S. Capitol revolt.
Raymond Epps, a former Marine who mentioned he was pressured from his Arizona house attributable to threats, is asking for unspecified damages and a jury trial.
He filed his lawsuit in Superior Court in Delaware, the identical courtroom the place Dominion Voting Systems sued Fox for lies broadcast following the 2020 presidential election. Shortly earlier than a trial was to start this spring, Fox agreed to pay Dominion $787 million to settle the costs.
Fox had no speedy touch upon Epps’ lawsuit.
Epps, who had traveled to Washington for the Jan. 6 demonstration, was falsely accused by Fox of being a authorities agent who was whipping up bother that may be blamed on Trump supporters, the lawsuit claims.
“In the aftermath of the events of January 6th, Fox News searched for a scapegoat to blame other than Donald Trump or the Republican Party,” the lawsuit mentioned. “Eventually, they turned on one of their own.”
Although the lawsuit mentions Fox’s Laura Ingraham and Will Cain, former Fox host Tucker Carlson was cited because the chief in selling the idea. Epps was featured in additional than two dozen segments on Carlson’s prime-time present, the lawsuit mentioned. Fox News fired Carlson shortly after the Dominion settlement was introduced.
The lawsuit mentioned that Carlson “was bluntly telling his viewers that it was a fact that Epps was a government informant. And they believed him.”
Carlson ignored proof that contradicted his principle, together with Epps’ testimony earlier than the congressional committee that investigated the revolt that he was not working for the federal government, and videotapes supplied by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy that confirmed Epps’ efforts to attempt to defuse the scenario that day, the lawsuit mentioned.
Carlson was not named as a defendant within the lawsuit. Epps’ lawyer, Michael Teter, mentioned that Carlson “was an employee of Fox when he lied about Ray, and Fox broadcast those defamatory falsehoods.”
“Fox is therefore fully liable for Mr. Carlson’s statements,” Teter mentioned.
The former Fox star didn’t return a message searching for remark.
Epps claims in his lawsuit that, on account of the alleged defamatory statements made by Fox, he and his spouse have been the goal of harassment and demise threats from Trump supporters.
“Epps, sleep with one eye open,” learn one message that he acquired.
Epps mentioned he was additionally pressured to promote the Arizona ranch the place they ran a profitable wedding ceremony venue enterprise, and now faces monetary damage. According to the lawsuit, Epps and his spouse are actually residing in a leisure automobile in Utah.
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Bauder reported from New York.
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