(TheLastPatriotNews.com) – In a stunning decision, the federal judge in Sarah Palin’s defamation lawsuit against the New York Times has announced that even if the jury currently deliberating a verdict finds the Times liable for writing that Palin instigated the 2011 mass shooting in Arizona that severely wounded then-Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and killed six others including a federal judge, he will throw the verdict out and dismiss the case against the Times.
The judge was appointed to the bench by Bill Clinton.
As noted by Breitbart:
“U.S. Judge Jed S. Rakoff, a Bill Clinton appointee, told lawyers in the courtroom in New York Monday he would dismiss Sarah Palin’s defamation suit against the New York Times for lack of evidence, even as the jury deliberated over the verdict.
“The jury will not learn of the dismissal until after it has deliberated, creating the potential between a conflict between the verdict and the judge’s decision to dismiss the case — or to issue what courts refer to as a “directed verdict” to end the trial.” [emphasis added]
As a reminder, what the New York Times had said about Palin and accused her of doing was outrageous.
“Palin sued the Times over a 2017 editorial in which it said that she had inspired the 2011 mass shooting in Tucson, Arizona. Judge Rakoff initially dismissed the case, but it was revived by a federal appeals court. After the presentation of arguments in initial motions, Rakoff decided that Palin had enough evidence to allow the case to go to trial — a rarity in defamation suits by public figures against the media, since the standard of proving “actual malice” is usually too high for plaintiffs to clear.” [emphasis added]
But now, in an extremely rare move, the judge has announced that even if the jury returns a verdict holding the New York Times liable for the harm it caused Palin, he will throw that verdict out.
Courtroom observers were shocked by the judge’s announcement.
One observer told us that of all the legal cases and trials he’d been involved in over a 39-year career, he’d never seen a judge announce they would issue a directed verdict while the jury was still deliberating.
What do you think about this decision by the judge that he will throw out Palin’s case against the New York Times no matter what the jury decides? Please email [email protected] and share your opinion.
U.S. Judge Jed S. Rakoff, a Bill Clinton appointee, made a stunning announcement even as the jury deliberated on a verdict in the Palin case. https://t.co/2FqntKK4Cb
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) February 14, 2022
