Mike Leach Sues ESPN for Defamation

Leach claiming ESPN did nothing to correct Craig James' allegedly false remarks about Leach's alleged treatment of his son, and therefore defamed him by allowing James to say whatever he said.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5847181&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

 

Leach is a public figure right? So he needs to prove that ESPN knew the reports were false or had a reasonable doubt to their truth when they were airing them, correct?

Unless he gets a smoking gun type of memo or email, that is going to be tough to do.

Doesn't Leach have a better wrongful termination suit against Tech?

 

Oops, misread the title. Thought he was suing for definition of character.

 

Here's a link to an NYT story that has more (well anything) on the ESPN suit.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/25/sports/ncaafootball/25espn.html?src=twrhp

 

He doesn't need a memo or email, he just has to show that Craig James was allowed to make statements that weren't true, that James had a personal interest in putting forth false information, that espn was negligent in allowing James to make false statements on the air, thus defaming him, and he suffered direct and provable damages as a result.

James was hardly just a reporter doing his job here, he was an angry father campaigning for his son. I think we discussed this here at the time, whether it was a good idea for espn to allow Craig James to report on the case.

 

I don't know who I root for here.

 

even if you say Leach is a jackass, he is still one jackass. at the WWL he's a dime a dozen.

 

I'm rooting for Leach here. I think he has a pretty strong case.

The guy is an attorney. He's suing Tech as well isn't he?

 

Well Don King filed a defamation suit against 'em, too.

Didn't work out too well, it was thrown out at summary judgement.

 

Win or lose Leach still will be making a point.