As Covington families look into legal action, one lawyer is offering his services for free
Attorney Robert Barnes tells 'Fox & Friends' that any 'false statements' made about the students needs to be retracted and corrected within 48 hours or he may sue.
Eight Covington Catholic High School students claim they were defamed during a field trip to Washington in January in a lawsuit filed in Kentucky.
The lawsuit seeks damages for alleged defamatory comments by 12 individuals—lawmakers, journalists and social media personalities, Law & Crime reported Friday.
The individuals include presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman.
The field trip drew international headlines after Covington High student Nicholas Sandmann, wearing a MAGA hat, was filmed directly facing a Native American activist near the Lincoln Memorial.
JUDGE DISMISSES COVINGTON STUDENT'S DEFAMATION SUIT AGAINST WASHINGTON POST
Just days ago, a lawsuit Sandmann and his family brought against The Washington Post over its coverage was dismissed by a Kentucky federal judge.
“Several of our Senators, most-famous celebrities, and widely read journalists, collectively used their large social media platforms, perceived higher credibility and public followings to lie and libel minors they never met, based on an event they never witnessed,” the lawsuit said, according to Law & Crime.
“These defendants called for the kids to be named and shamed, doxxed and expelled, and invited public retaliation against these minors from a small town in Kentucky,” the lawsuit said.
An email to Warren’s Senate office seeking comment received no immediate reply.
COVINGTON HIGH STUDENT'S LEGAL TEAM SUES WASHINGTON POST
A New York Times representative told Law & Crime that “Ms. Haberman has not yet been served with this complaint. The lawsuit is entirely without merit and we will vigorously defend it if necessary."
Law & Crime said the other defendants are Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico), CNN’s Ana Navarro, comedian Kathy Griffin, ABC News political analyst Matthew Dowd, writer Reza Aslan, Kentucky entrepreneur Adam Edelen, Princeton University History Professor Kevin M. Kruse, activist and journalist Shaun King, Mother Jones editor-in-chief Clara Jeffery and Rewire.News editor-in-chief Jodi Jacobson.
Rewire and Edelen told Law & Crime they had no comment. The website said it was in the process of reaching out to all the defendants.
The eight Covington students are listed in the lawsuit as John Doe plaintiffs.
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Their lawyer is Robert Barnes, who is representing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones in the Sandy Hook case
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