Covington Student Reaches Settlement With CNN In Second Defamation Lawsuit

Covington Catholic High School student Nick Sandmann, who went viral last year for footage of him and his classmates appearing to mock a Native American protester, has reached a settlement with CNN — the second defamation lawsuit he filed against a media outlet.

A CNN spokesperson confirmed the settlement to TPM Tuesday but declined to comment on details.

Sandmann’s lawyer Todd McMurtry also declined to comment on the settlement with CNN. However, McMurtry told TPM that Sandmann’s lawsuits against NBC and the Washington Post will continue and that there are plans to add additional defendants in the near future.

Last March, Sandmann’s family sued CNN for $275 million, accusing the network of calling Sandmann and his classmate’s conduct “racist” in at least four TV segments and in nine articles posted online.

“CNN brought down the full force of its corporate power, influence, and wealth on Nicholas by falsely attacking, vilifying, and bullying him despite the fact that he was a minor child,” Sandmann’s lawsuit against CNN said.

Sandmann’s lawsuit against CNN was filed a month after he and his parents sued the Washington Post for $250 million for defamation — a move that was cheered on by President Trump who tweeted “Go get them Nick.”

Last May, Sandmann and his family filed a $275 million lawsuit against NBC Universal, alleging that it defamed Sandmann in its coverage of the protest by “relying heavily on biased and unreliable sources without conducting any reasonable investigation of the circumstances.”

Covington High School conducted its own investigation of the incident and concluded the students were not to blame.