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Lawyers For Covington Student Sending Warning Letters To Media, Celebrities

Kaya Taitano/Social Media/via REUTERS

David Krayden Ottawa Bureau Chief
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The legal team behind Covington Catholic High School student Nick Sandmann are sending letters to various media organizations, celebrities and politicians it says completely misrepresented the confrontation between the teenager and Native American activists last month and potentially defamed their client.

In a story first reported Friday by The Cincinnati Enquirer and confirmed Sunday to The Daily Caller by lawyer Todd McMurtry, the  letters have been or will be sent “over the next couple of days” to media organizations like CNN, The New York Times and The Washington Post. Celebrities and politicians like Jim Carrey, Alyssa Milano, Bill Maher and Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren are also on the list.

A school marker for Covington Catholic High School is pictured in Park Hills, Kentucky, U.S., Jan. 23, 2019. REUTERS/Madalyn McGarvey

A school marker for Covington Catholic High School is pictured in Park Hills, Kentucky, U.S., Jan. 23, 2019. REUTERS/Madalyn McGarvey

It is the first step in a potential and far-reaching libel and defamation suit that McMurtry, of the Hemmer DeFrank Wessels law firm in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky, says would be “a significant and unique lawsuit.” (RELATED: Sarah Sanders Sends Harsh Message To The Media After Buzzfeed, Covington Debacle)

Most of mainstream media and others vilified Sandmann, other students and Covington Catholic High School in general when the youths were shown on camera wearing MAGA hats in Washington, D.C., where they had participated in the Jan. 18 March for Life rally. The students were caught on cameras engaging in spirited dialogue with Native American Nathan Phillips, who falsely claimed to be a Vietnam veteran. At least partially due to Phillips, the confrontation was widely interpreted as intolerant youths abusing a Native elder, before greater context was provided.

Covington Catholic High School Students With Nathan Phillips (screengrab)

Covington Catholic High School Students With Nathan Phillips (screengrab)

Despite clarification and apologies from many, comedian Bill Maher continued to denigrate Sandmann a week later.

McMurtry is joined in his legal campaign by lawyer L. Lin Wood of Atlanta. The letters tell the media outlets and individuals named to preserve all documents or recoded material associated with the incident, including emails connected with reporting the event. (RELATED: MAGA Hat Kid Speaks Out: ‘It Was Clear To Me That He Had Singled Me Out’)

McMurtry told the Enquirer that after an initial review, Wood and him believe they “have a good faith basis to sue” at least some of the organizations on its list. McMurtry told The Daily Caller Sunday night that he is “very confident that we are going to prevail” and “attain justice.” At minimum, justice will come in the form of apologies and retractions, McMurtry added, and could include further litigation.

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