Former coal executive's defamation lawsuit against Donald Trump Jr. rejected by federal appeals court

In recent legal news, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, upheld a decision against former coal executive Don Blankenship. This decision stems from a lawsuit Blankenship filed against Donald Trump Jr., asserting defamation.

Background

Don Blankenship, the former CEO of Massey Energy, spent a year in prison for a misdemeanor charge related to a 2010 mine explosion in West Virginia that claimed the lives of 29 miners. Blankenship filed a defamation lawsuit against Donald Trump Jr. after the latter referred to him as a "felon" in a social media post in May 2018.

The Court's Decision

The appeals court concluded that there was no evidence to suggest that Donald Trump Jr. acted with malicious intent when making the statement. As a result, the lower court's ruling in West Virginia was upheld, denying Blankenship's case.

Media Coverage

In addition to the lawsuit against Donald Trump Jr., Blankenship also sued CNN, Fox News, and 14 other media outlets for their coverage of his 2018 U.S. Senate campaign. While the appeals court acknowledged that these outlets may have fallen short of journalistic standards, it determined that there was no indication of "actual malice" in their reporting.

Supreme Court Actions

These legal battles involving Blankenship have made their way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has consistently ruled against him. The high court refused to hear his appeal in the case involving media outlets and also declined to review his misdemeanor conviction.