Judge Judy, Rusty Burrell, and Charlie Sykes?
Regarding the libel suit against Charlie Sykes:
This lawsuit was filed in small claims court, which means that either a) the case is too weak for civil court or b) that the alleged damage to Miranda's reputation was so minimal that it could be valued at less than the $5k maximum (or whatever that amount is) in small claims court.
Further, Sykes took the post off his website just hours after posting it. As for it still being available, I couldn't find a direct link in a Google search, even using the text from the original post (which I found here).I have a feeling that the journalist who "found" it was searching pretty hard or knew where to look. Would someone who didn't already know the situation know how to find it? I doubt it.
When the lawsuit was filed, Miranda wanted "to have Sykes make a public apology; pay the $86.50 filing fee and other court costs; undergo sensitivity training; and make presentations about diversity to Milwaukee students."
Apparently, Miranda changed his mind. According to HispanicVista, "Sykes’ lawyer, Robert Dreps, asked the court in an April 18 letter to find in favor of Miranda and offered to pay his legal and court costs. The settlement offer did not include a correction and the court is not authorized to order one, so Miranda rejected it at an April 20 hearing."
Now, Miranda wants $5,000.
Why didn't Charlie post a correction sooner? Because even Miranda himself couldn't figure out where he was. First he said he wasn't in Milwaukee, then after Milwaukee Magazine called him on it, oh yeah, he was. Charlie's sources, which he believed to be reliable, claimed they saw Miranda.
I highly doubt Charlie intentionally made incorrect statements about Robert Miranda. In fact, I'm sure of it. In Charlie's line of work, credibility is everything. Without credibility, a journalist is...well, Geraldo. Why on earth would Charlie blow that on Robert Miranda?
Charlie's mistake in that post wasn't libel. His mistake was that he trusted his sources for the post.
Keep in mind that the whole thing started when Miranda went on the warpath against Mark Belling. Charlie is just next in line.
This lawsuit was filed in small claims court, which means that either a) the case is too weak for civil court or b) that the alleged damage to Miranda's reputation was so minimal that it could be valued at less than the $5k maximum (or whatever that amount is) in small claims court.
Further, Sykes took the post off his website just hours after posting it. As for it still being available, I couldn't find a direct link in a Google search, even using the text from the original post (which I found here).I have a feeling that the journalist who "found" it was searching pretty hard or knew where to look. Would someone who didn't already know the situation know how to find it? I doubt it.
When the lawsuit was filed, Miranda wanted "to have Sykes make a public apology; pay the $86.50 filing fee and other court costs; undergo sensitivity training; and make presentations about diversity to Milwaukee students."
Apparently, Miranda changed his mind. According to HispanicVista, "Sykes’ lawyer, Robert Dreps, asked the court in an April 18 letter to find in favor of Miranda and offered to pay his legal and court costs. The settlement offer did not include a correction and the court is not authorized to order one, so Miranda rejected it at an April 20 hearing."
Now, Miranda wants $5,000.
Why didn't Charlie post a correction sooner? Because even Miranda himself couldn't figure out where he was. First he said he wasn't in Milwaukee, then after Milwaukee Magazine called him on it, oh yeah, he was. Charlie's sources, which he believed to be reliable, claimed they saw Miranda.
I highly doubt Charlie intentionally made incorrect statements about Robert Miranda. In fact, I'm sure of it. In Charlie's line of work, credibility is everything. Without credibility, a journalist is...well, Geraldo. Why on earth would Charlie blow that on Robert Miranda?
Charlie's mistake in that post wasn't libel. His mistake was that he trusted his sources for the post.
Keep in mind that the whole thing started when Miranda went on the warpath against Mark Belling. Charlie is just next in line.
posted by Anonymous @ 4:00 PM
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