Court dismisses lawsuit against Nancy Grace for podcast remarks

In a recent defamation case, Judge Carl Barber presiding over the Eastern District of Louisiana ruled against a lawsuit filed by Plaintiffs Casen Carver and Everett Lee against Nancy Grace and iHeartMedia. The case stemmed from a True-crime podcast that discussed the alleged rape and subsequent death of Madison Brooks after a night out in Baton Rouge. The Plaintiffs argued that statements made by Grace during the podcast harmed their reputations, claiming that Grace's remarks implied their involvement in the crime. However, the judge found that the statements in question referred to Madison Brooks rather than the Plaintiffs, suggesting that what was said was not 'of and concerning' them. Additionally, the court determined that Grace's comments were largely based on substantial truth, her opinions on the legal situation, and factual information provided by law enforcement officials. The Plaintiffs' claims about specific phrases, such as 'they put her out of the car,' were dismissed as expressing Grace's personal opinion rather than an accusation of a crime against them. Overall, the court concluded that the statements made in the podcast did not constitute a False and defamatory statement, affirming the right to free speech in commentary about ongoing legal matters. This ruling reinforces the standards for what constitutes defamation in the context of opinion-based commentary in public discussions regarding criminal cases, particularly highlighting the importance of context in interpreting statements made by commentators.