In a stunning turn of events, the Sixth Circuit Court has reversed a Tennessee federal judge’s decision to dismiss a defamation case against comedian Kathy Griffin. The case, which revolves around social media comments and their consequences, has captivated legal enthusiasts with its perplexing jurisdictional twist.
Reviving the Defamation Suit
In a riveting 13-page order, a three-judge panel from the Sixth Circuit rekindled the defamation suit filed by Samuel Johnson and his wife, Jill Johnson, against Kathy Griffin. The lawsuit stems from tweets Griffin posted in response to a viral TikTok video that allegedly portrayed Johnson as homophobic during a restaurant encounter with a teenager in April 2021.
Initially, the case was thrown out by U.S. District Judge William Lynn Campbell Jr. for a lack of personal jurisdiction. He argued that the couple failed to establish that Griffin’s tweets were specifically aimed at Tennessee readers. However, the Sixth Circuit’s recent decision has reignited the legal fire, asserting that Judge Campbell did indeed have jurisdiction over Griffin due to her involvement in Tennessee-based activities that directly impacted a Tennessee resident.
Kathy Griffin Defamation Suit : Griffin’s Calculated Moves
The panel highlighted Griffin’s deliberate emphasis on Johnson’s Tennessee residence and her relentless pressure on his Nashville-based employer, VisuWell, to terminate his employment. In their decision, the Sixth Circuit stressed that Griffin intended the “brunt of the harm” to befall Johnson in Tennessee. Her tweets, which advocated for Johnson’s firing and urged VisuWell to remove him from their board, left no room for doubt regarding her intentions.
