A federal judge has thrown out a defamation lawsuit brought against Fox News and Tucker Carlson by James Ray Epps Sr., who participated in the January 6 events. The judge ruled that Epps did not prove that Carlson or Fox acted with “actual malice” in their claims that he was a federal agent who incited the Capitol breach.
Epps alleged that Carlson’s statements harmed his reputation and led to threats and financial ruin, but the court found insufficient evidence of knowingly false information.
Fox News stated, “Following the dismissals of the Jankowicz, Bobulinski and now Epps cases, Fox News is pleased with these back-to-back decisions from federal courts preserving the press freedoms of the First Amendment.”
🚨 BREAKING: A federal judge has DISMISSED a defamation lawsuit filed against Fox News and its former primetime host Tucker Carlson, ruling that the plaintiff, January 6 participant James Ray Epps Sr., FAILED to meet the legal standard of “actual malice.”https://t.co/FYZCxx6U1J
— Proud Elephant 🇺🇸🦅 (@ProudElephantUS) December 9, 2024
Epps, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for his actions on January 6, testified under oath before the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 breach, stating, “I had no connections to the FBI or any other law enforcement agency.”
