Judge Denies Glenn Beck's Motion To Dismiss Defamation Suit By Man Falsely Accused Of Boston Marathon Bombing

Beck

A judge has denied GLENN BECK's motion to have the defamation and slander suit filed against him by a student falsely accused in early reports of involvement in the BOSTON MARATHON bombing dismissed. POLITICO reports that U.S. District Court Judge PATTI SARIS ruled TODAY (11/2) that ABDULRAHMAN ALHARBI's suit against BECK, THEBLAZE.COM, MERCURY RADIO ARTS and PREMIERE NETWORKS can proceed. 

BECK's attorneys had argued that ALHARBI, initially identified in Internet reports as being involved in the bombing but later cleared by officials, was a "limited purpose public figure" because he gave interviews after being cleared, but SARIS noted,"Choosing to attend a sporting event as one of thousands of spectators is not the kind of conduct that a reasonable person would expect to result in publicity" and added, "Even if a private person meets the definition of an involuntary public figure as a matter of bad luck during a public controversy, the status is of limited duration. As such, ALHARBI lost that status when his name was cleared."

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