Prof. Kirtley Interviewed on "Johnny Northside" Suit by MPR and Star Tribune
In interviews with MPR and the Star Tribune, Professor Jane Kirtley discussed the ramifications of the jury verdict against "Johnny Northside" awarding $60,000 in damages for comments he made on his blog. The jury ruled that the remarks amounted to tortious interference with the plaintiff's employment. Kirtley suggested that the verdict was inconsistent with U.S. Supreme Court precedent holding that plaintiffs may not avoid constitutional protections for speech by recasting a libel case under an alternative tort theory. Professor Bill McGeveran was also quoted in the same Star Tribune article.