(La Porte, IN) - As the dust settles from last week’s defamation trial between Shaw Friedman and Tim Stabosz, each litigant has recently released a statement on the matter.
Last Friday evening, following a week-long trial, a six-member jury found Stabosz not liable for claims that Friedman said were false and damaging to his reputation.
In a press release, Stabosz called the verdict a victory for 1st Amendment rights, saying that “public figures need to have thick skins, and not sue for defamation in order to intimidate political opponents and truth tellers.”
Stabosz said the burden was on the plaintiff to prove that he knowingly and recklessly disregarded the truth. He added that witnesses in the trial, in fact, backed up his claims of Friedman’s intimidation and coercion of county vendors and employees. Stabosz gave the example of a county consultant who testified at trial that Friedman told him he’d never work in the county again if he didn’t provide Friedman with information protected by a nondisclosure agreement.
Friedman issued his own statement, calling the matter “a marathon, not a sprint.” Friedman said he already won three rounds of legal decisions prior to the jury trial. Last week’s ruling was a setback, but, bolstered by public support, he’s ready for round five. “This is not over by a long shot,” he added.
According to Friedman, Stabosz’s repeated claims of corruption “have hurt the public’s confidence in county government.” His legal team has indicated they are evaluating options for appeal.
“Hostile, defamatory statements like these,” Friedman concluded, “add nothing to aid those governing La Porte County or those seeking to bring businesses here to create jobs."
