Jury deliberates in Jesse Ventura defamation suit against 'American Sniper'

balline36m3 · Jul 29, 2014

what a disgrace, he shouldn't be able to call himself a veteran after this

Oregonhunter5 · Jul 29, 2014

So let me get this straight.
Someone can go down to a bar, act like a jerk, get there butt kicked, then file a lawsuit, and get a large settlement.
This is another example of how attorneys and judges own this country....

clearconscience · Jul 29, 2014

Well the problem was he denies that the bar incident ever happened. And that Mr. Kyle mentioned such in his book.
Either way even if it didn't happen, you don't go after someone's family like that. A real Veteran would never do that. A real Man wouldn't do that.

I hope old scruff face dies soon and can get an eternal @$$ whooping from a real Soldier, Verteran, Hero, and American in Mr. Kyle

The Heretic · Jul 30, 2014

Oregonhunter5 said:
So let me get this straight.
Someone can go down to a bar, act like a jerk, get there butt kicked, then file a lawsuit, and get a large settlement.
This is another example of how attorneys and judges own this country....

Yes - acting like a jerk doesn't mean that someone can legally beat you down. After all, everyone is entitled to free speech without fear that someone will punch you in the face if they disagree.

But that wasn't what he was suing for - my understanding is that Ventura is saying this never happened.

That aside - Ventura just harmed his reputation a lot more than the book ever could have. He just lost a lot of respect. He should have just ignored it - but instead he not only called attention to the book and what it said about him, he just made himself out to be an anal orifice in an even more public way by bringing suit against the wife of a deceased hero. It is a lose lose scenario - even if he wins against the appeal, even if he just drops it at this point an apologizes - everybody is going to think, nay, know he is an bubblegum.

PiratePast40 · Jul 30, 2014

The lawsuit was about defamation of character, and the financial loss that Venture suffered as a result of the allegations. It appears to be more about the finances. The book netted Kyle, and now his widow, 6-7 million dollars. Doesn't matter who has the money now. The jury decided that part of the money was made on a false accusation. Another article pointed out that the witnesses for the defense all had vastly different stories about the night in question, so their collective testimony wasn't believable. The basis of the lawsuit was that Kyle made a ton of money on the book and some of it was at the expense of someone else. Right or wrong, that's what the jury saw.

We've all seen jury results with which people have disagreed. We've also heard some talk about applying vigilante justice when they didn't like the result. Specifically, some that disagreed with the Zimmerman verdict sent death threats. Those flames were fanned by people on both sides and it could have ended much uglier than it did. Just hate to see people jumping on this in a similar manner.

Oregonhunter5 · Jul 30, 2014

The Heretic said:
Yes - acting like a jerk doesn't mean that someone can legally beat you down. After all, everyone is entitled to free speech without fear that someone will punch you in the face if they disagree.

But that wasn't what he was suing for - my understanding is that Ventura is saying this never happened.

That aside - Ventura just harmed his reputation a lot more than the book ever could have. He just lost a lot of respect. He should have just ignored it - but instead he not only called attention to the book and what it said about him, he just made himself out to be an anal orifice in an even more public way by bringing suit against the wife of a deceased hero. It is a lose lose scenario - even if he wins against the appeal, even if he just drops it at this point an apologizes - everybody is going to think, nay, know he is an bubblegum.

In some places in this country, you get a beat down. And it warms my heart! Also, Jessie will end up talking to himself in a cabin in the woods soon. He's a lunatic...

Scrammer · Aug 11, 2014

Wasn't it lucky the only other eye-witness just happens to be DEAD.
Way to go Jesse. :s0014:

biggie24420 · Aug 12, 2014

I like Jesse and I support him.... that's my opinion. Not saying he is a saint but when someone talks smack about you, you go after them.

Riot · Aug 12, 2014

3MTA3 said:
Marcus Luttrel weighs in

View attachment 96745

He doesn't have time to bleed...

Anyhoot...you can really tell the years of juicing and coke has gone to this guy's head. He's managed to have been a spokesman for many right-wing conspiracies...proving and disproving them. I liked a lot of his shows and even liked hearing his opinions on politics...nevertheless, he got caught up in this bullcrap "scandal" about a bar fight.

Lets be honest. Jesse Ventura has never been a Seal, but has said he used to be one...he is known for shooting off his mouth and be an overall tool...so regardless if the bar fight even happened the fact of the matter is-

He pretends to be a Seal
He shoots his mouth off
He sued the wife of a widow who supposedly lied about a bar fight about him shooting off his mouth

So true or not, I definitely have lost a lot of respect for the man. He never should have followed through with the lawsuit after Kyle died...period.

Sincere · Aug 13, 2014

Jessie Ventura is a douche, but you guys are so uneducated about the civil legal system, the facts of this case, and Kyle's "stories" it's laughable.

Kyle told tons of stories with absolutely no backing evidence. I think he lied about the Ventura bar scene just like he lied about shooting those carjackers and climbing the roof of the superdome during Katrina. I'm sure he was a talented soldier, but the man was almost as egotistical and full of bubblegum as Ventura.

Ventura sued Kyle while he was still alive. Kyle died and the suit sticks to his estate, which *happens* to go to his wife. So don't lie like the man purposefully went after a grieving widow from the get go. You're obscufsting facts and lying through omission just like the "lamestream" media so many of you constantly pitch and whine about.

The widow is worth over $6 million. Do they even have a child? I'm sure they'll survive on the remaining $4.6 million that she did nothing to earn aside from blowing and marrying a guy who wrote a book with some lies in it.

Also, disparage him all you want, but the Seals have always recognized UDT as honorary seals. It is what it is and none of you were anywhere close to that level anyway.

Slander is Slander. And Kyle profited from a crime. Oh, but you guys are only serious about law and order when it applies to people you personally like.

clearconscience · Aug 14, 2014

The whole story may have been made up, who cares the truth is the guy is continuing to sue a widow and a kid who will never know their father.
Did that made up story really make the book? Or get people to buy it? Probably not, is the defamation of jessie (has been) ventura worth $1.8 million? Heck no. This was just a revenge payday for a loser has been who needs a paycheck.
If he was a stand up guy he would have dropped the case after his murder or at least donate the money (part of it) to soldiers with ptsd or the children of fallen heroes.
Either way I have no respect for ventura.

http://twitchy.com/2013/02/11/heart...on-back-of-program-i-never-wanted-you-to-die/

3MTA3 · Aug 14, 2014

Ventura defamed himself far more than than Kyle could have if he had devoted a trilogy to the subject of Ventura's douchebaggery. It was a couple of insignificant paragraphs in a book we read to understand the life of a SEAL sniper. The award is out of line with the damage, but even at 1.8 million my self respect is still worth more.

Sincere · Aug 14, 2014

I'm not defending Ventura as a human being.

Slander is Slander and libel is libel.

Yet again, you guys only care about law and order when it applies in favor of people you like.

Kyle was a liar. He lied all the time and even many of his kills are under suspicion.

What did you guys think about his cute story about climbing the super dome and firing on looters during Katrina?

The kid was probably a very talented soldier, but he was egotistical as all get out, full of himself and felt the need to self-aggrandize for some reason. I don't know what was missing in his head or heart that made him feel the need to tell so many lies. Maybe he was just fame-hungry.

It's sad his wife will only have $4,600,000 million instead of $6,000,000 because he husband was a liar and profited from his lies. I'm sure she'll survive.

The Heretic · Aug 16, 2014

biggie24420 said:
I like Jesse and I support him.... that's my opinion. Not saying he is a saint but when someone talks smack about you, you go after them.

I don't.

I generally just let it drop and move on.

There is this little thing called the Barbra Streisand Effect

Does anyone really think that this lawsuit has helped Ventura's reputation one whit?

Whether the tale told was true or not is basically irrelevant at this point - the person who told the tale is dead, the book won't be pulled off the shelves, and now everybody who has never heard of the book has heard the tale.

What is the old saying?

Me doth think he protests too much.

He should have dropped the lawsuit when the author died. After that point it became apparent it wasn't about a sullied reputation, but solely about money.