CNN-Covington Legal Battle Takes Bizarre Turn as Sandmann Claims False Representation
Even though Covington Catholic High School student Nick Sandmann accepted a settlement from CNN after he sued the cable network for defamation earlier this week, the teen’s fight for his reputation is far from over.
Now the teen and his legal team are facing off against another lawyer, Robert Barnes, for claiming that he represents Sandmann.
Barnes is most famously known for representing Info Wars’ Alex Jones, but when Covington Catholic students found themselves in the middle of a media storm last January following a confrontation with Native American activists and others in Washington, D.C., the lawyer quickly offered his services.
Ten of the students shown in the background of the viral video originally published by several establishment media outlets decided to accept Barnes’ offer of representation.
Those 10 students have elected to remain anonymous during their own defamation lawsuits against establishment media companies, but Sandmann — the public face of the incident — sought legal representation with L. Lin Wood.
Earlier this week, CNN settled with Sandmann and his lawyers outside of court.
The settlement brought attention to Barnes’ lawsuit on behalf of the other 10 students, however.
In his lawsuit, Barnes claimed his clients’ lives had been greatly impacted after several public figures “called for the kids to be named and shamed, doxxed and expelled,” according to Fox News.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Deb Haaland, CNN’s Anna Navarro and Kathy Griffin are among those accused in the lawsuit.
Former CNN host Reza Aslan was also mentioned in Barnes’ lawsuit over his tweet referring to Sandmann that said, “Honest question. Have you ever seen a more punchable face than this kid’s?”
Barnes claimed Aslan’s tweet defamed his clients, but the tweet referenced only Sandmann — who isn’t represented by Barnes.
On Thursday, Sandmann called out Barnes over a series of tweets, claiming that Barnes was misrepresenting him.
“@Barnes_Law would you like to explain why you’re suing for me without my permission? You’ve blocked my lawyers on twitter and now claim you’re suing over the Reza Aslan tweet? Retract and stop lying to the public,” the teen wrote.
“Barnes can claim all he wants that he’s filed it on behalf of the covington kids but we both know that isn’t true,” he added. “Reza’s tweet references only one kid, and i take up a majority of the picture.”
“My position since January 18th, 2019 has been clear: I will not be used by anyone or any media outlet to gain clicks, money, or attention. This is just that.”
Yes. Barnes can claim all he wants that he’s filed it on behalf of the covington kids but we both know that isn’t true. Reza’s tweet references only one kid, and i take up a majority of the picture. The article he even linked (now deleted) stated this: pic.twitter.com/aK7DfV9zqE
— Nick Sandmann (@N1ckSandmann) January 9, 2020
It clearly states it’s about me in the title!
My position since January 18th, 2019 has been clear: I will not be used by anyone or any media outlet to gain clicks, money, or attention. This is just that.
— Nick Sandmann (@N1ckSandmann) January 9, 2020
An hour after Sandmann’s tweets, Barnes tweeted, “All #CovingtonBoys I represent retain anonymity as John Does (Nick Sandmann, who went public, is not my client). The reason to protect their privacy is the threats they already faced. A key precedent we seek: you should not forfeit your privacy to sue for invasion of privacy.”
Barnes’ lawsuit doesn’t mention Sandmann, according to Fox News, and when asked earlier this week how CNN’s settlement with Sandmann will affect his clients’ lawsuit, Barnes responded, “I do not represent Nick Sandmann,” before adding further comment.
Sandmann’s lawyer also chastised Barnes for “publicly suggesting or stating that he represents Nicholas,” adding that Barnes had been asked to stop doing so.
“In response, Barnes “blocked” @ToddMcMurtry & me on Twitter,” Wood wrote. “Barnes apparently cannot control his desire to garner publicity by falsely using Nicholas’ name.”
4/ If Barnes does not cease publishing & then correct his prior false statements, Nicholas’ attorneys are fully prepared to take legal action against him. So Barnes can take the easy way out or he will get out the hard way – we will sue him. His choice.
— Lin Wood (@LLinWood) January 9, 2020
“If Barnes does not cease publishing & then correct his prior false statements, Nicholas’ attorneys are fully prepared to take legal action against him. So Barnes can take the easy way out or he will get out the hard way – we will sue him.
“His choice.”
A group of Covington Catholic high school students went to Washington, D.C., for the annual pro-life March for Life and were gathered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial waiting for their bus when Indigenous People’s March demonstrators and radical Black Hebrew Israelites approached them and began verbally assaulting them.
Establishment media outlets, including CNN, quickly ran with edited videos showing the group of teens, with Sandmann in the forefront wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat, in a standoff with the demonstrators, including Nathan Phillips.
The story was spun by the establishment media in such a way that much of the American public became convinced that the “Trump-supporting” students initiated the standoff, but the full video soon proved otherwise.
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