Judge dismisses Katie Blackwell’s defamation lawsuit against Alpha News, reporter Liz Collin
Attorney Chris Madel said, “Today is a complete vindication for Liz Collin, Dr. Chaix, and Alpha News—and a complete victory for the First Amendment."
On Tuesday, Judge Edward T. Wahl dismissed the defamation lawsuit filed by Katie Blackwell—the Assistant Chief of Operations for the Minneapolis Police Department—against Alpha News, senior reporter Liz Collin, director Dr. JC Chaix, and others.
In filing the lawsuit, Blackwell and her attorneys labelled Alpha News and the other defendants as “extremists.” They claimed that “this lawsuit involves the politically motivated attack on a respected member of the Minneapolis Police Department who was maliciously defamed with respect to her performance of the duties of her employment and profession by extremists who are more interested in shaping a narrative and provoking outrage than in communicating any version of truth.”
Blackwell alleged that she was defamed by Collin’s book, “They’re Lying: The Media, The Left, and The Death of George Floyd.” Blackwell also claimed that she was defamed in the documentary film “The Fall of Minneapolis,” which was presented by Alpha News, produced by Collin, and written and directed by Dr. Chaix.
Assistant Chief of Operations Katie Blackwell appears in the Alpha News documentary “The Fall of Minneapolis.”
Judge Wahl’s dismissal, however, affirms that Alpha News and the co-defendants did not defame Blackwell.