A federal judge on Monday reopened the $250 million defamation lawsuit filed by Covington Catholic High School student Nicholas Sandmann against the Washington Post, a report said.
The ruling by US District Court Judge William Bertelsman partially reverses his own July decision to toss the suit on grounds that opinions published by the paper from Native American activist Nathan Phillips — whom was recorded in a viral standoffwith Sandmann — were protected under the First Amendment.
Based off an amended complaint filed by the Kentucky student’s legal team, Bertelsman granted the plaintiff the ability to seek discovery from the Washington Post on three of 33 alleged libelous statements reported in the paper documenting the Jan. 18 incident in Washington, DC, according to the Washington Times.
The three statements include Phillips’ published view that Sandmann was deliberately blocking him when the two crossed paths in separate rallies.
Judge reopens Covington teen Nicholas Sandmann’s $250M suit against the Washington Post
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