Update (May 7, 2014): Settlement Conference held before Magistrate Judge Jeffrey J. Keyes held on 5/6/2014. No settlement reached. Who is surprised?
Previous post (April 22 2014): I predicted this case might go to trial in September, 2012. (Self-supplied cynical rejoinder: predicting that a lawsuit “might” go to trial is like predicting that a political candidate “might” be elected. It takes no skill in prediction. It only takes chutzpah to make such a mushy prediction.)
The defamation lawsuit brought by former Minnesota Governor, Jesse “The Body” Ventura, has been rich fodder for Minnesota Litigator posts for a number of years now. I have questioned or challenged the strategies and conduct of both sides’ lawyers from time to time and, at times, I admit to having spoken quite freely of my lack of esteem for the plaintiff, Governor Ventura, himself (regardless of the truth or falsity of Mr. Kyle’s claims).
(I have not been so critical of the defendant-decedent, Chris Kyle, because I have no knowledge of the man and I have tried to reserve judgment (admittedly maybe not hard enough from time to time) as to who lied about whatever happened or did not happen in Coronado at McP’s in October, 2006. And “de mortuis nil nisi bonum.” But I certainly think there is plenty of reason to question the truth of his account.)
But, as the trial papers in this hard-fought battle come pounding into the Court this week (some are here, here, here, here), there is absolutely no doubt that Jesse Ventura and his lawyers are absolutely convinced in their case.
Maybe a jury will agree with them? The next question is whether they will buy that Gov. Ventura’s reputation was damaged or whether his reputation has accumulated so many nicks, dents, and scratches over the years that more recent ones just don’t make a difference.