Alec Baldwin performs emcee duties on the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award Gala at New York Hilton Midtown on Dec. 9, 2021, in New York. (Picture by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
Alec Baldwin is asking a federal choose to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed by a Wyoming lady who mentioned she obtained hateful social media messages after the actor shared on social media a photograph she posted of demonstrators at former President Donald Trump's rally in January 2021 and made a political remark.
"Reposting a photograph Roice (McCollum) herself publicly posted after which expressing a political opinion about it can't be the premise for an intentional infliction declare," Baldwin's attorneys argued Monday.
The lawsuit was filed in January by Roice McCollum whose brother was killed by a suicide bomber on the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, in August 2021.
After studying of the loss of life of Marine Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum of Wyoming, and the anticipated delivery of his daughter, Baldwin reached out to Roice McCollum through Instagram and donated $5,000 to the household.
In January, Baldwin noticed that Roice McCollum had posted on Instagram an image of demonstrators from former President Donald Trump's rally on the Washington Monument taken on Jan. 6, 2021.
Baldwin despatched her a non-public message asking if she was the one who had organized the fundraiser. She confirmed she was the identical lady and that she had been on the protest which she referred to as "completely authorized," in response to courtroom paperwork.
Baldwin advised Roice McCollum he'd shared her picture along with his 2.4 million Instagram followers and wrote: "Good luck," in response to the lawsuit.
Roice McCollum mentioned she obtained tons of of hateful messages together with one telling her to "get raped and die," and that her brother "acquired what he deserved," in response to the lawsuit, which was filed in Wyoming.
The grievance, which additionally names Cheyenne McCollum and Rylee's spouse, Jiennah McCollum, as plaintiffs, mentioned they have been defamed following the web dispute. They're searching for $25 million in damages.
Baldwin's response lists a number of causes the lawsuit must be dismissed, together with arguing the courtroom doesn't have jurisdiction over Baldwin as a result of he doesn't stay in Wyoming, that non-public communications between himself and Roice Baldwin can't be defamatory and that Cheyenne and Jiennah's claims must be dismissed as a result of Baldwin did not make any statements about them.
Baldwin "was struck by the irony that his tribute to a fallen Marine, a patriot, was coordinated by a person who participated in an occasion that -- in Baldwin's and plenty of different folks's opinion -- was an assault on the core of American democracy," his response mentioned.
"The true irony right here is that Roice is suing Baldwin for expressing his extensively supported opinion about January 6, when Roice had written to him moments earlier than that her participation at January 6 -- an occasion that promoted the false assertion that the 2020 election was stolen -- constitutes the `freedom of protest,' " the response mentioned.
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