Jurors Deliberate Ventura’s Defamation Case Against ‘American Sniper’

FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2012 file photo, former Minnesota Gov. Jessie Ventura, wearing a shirt featuring guitarist Jimi Hendrix, speaks at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura i... FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2012 file photo, former Minnesota Gov. Jessie Ventura, wearing a shirt featuring guitarist Jimi Hendrix, speaks at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura is back from his part-time home in Mexico and eagerly spreading the idea he could run for the U.S. presidency in 2016, Friday, May 31, 2013. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File) MORE LESS

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Jurors are due to reconvene in St. Paul to deliberate on whether a late famed military sniper defamed former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura in his best-selling memoir.

The case went to the jurors midday Tuesday. They will resume deliberations Wednesday.

Ventura’s attorney asked the jury to award him millions of dollars in damages for what the former Navy SEAL, pro wrestler and movie actor claims is a lie in Chris Kyle’s memoir, “American Sniper.”

Ventura says Kyle invented a story about punching him in a California bar in 2006 after Ventura supposedly made remarks insulting Navy SEALs.

But an attorney for Kyle’s estate told jurors that Ventura failed to prove his claim that Kyle made up the story or that Ventura suffered financially because of the book.

3
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. Although it’s obvious that the incident in question never happened–like Jesse Ventura would ever insult Navy SEALS–it’s up to the plaintiff to prove harm. If JV loses, he should just let it go.

  2. and WHY is this a story???

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for cwazycajun Avatar for 538liberal

Continue Discussion