The Legal Landscape – What Defamation Law Requires
Under U.S. defamation law, public figures such as Jay-Z and Megan Thee Stallion must prove “actual malice” to prevail in a libel action. That standard, set by the U.S. Supreme Court in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964), requires proof that the speaker knew a statement was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.
The allegations here are not framed as satire. They are direct assertions of:
- Criminal bribery of jurors
- Judicial corruption
- Falsified medical testimony
- Orchestrated prison violence
- Political interference involving the president of the United States
If untrue, such claims would qualify as statements of fact — not opinion — because they allege specific criminal conduct capable of being proven true or false.
Calling someone “Epstein” in this context is not metaphorical commentary; it implies association with the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein. Courts often treat such comparisons as defamatory if they imply factual misconduct.
