Ventura loses appeal to reinstate $1.8M verdict
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court has turned away former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura’s bid for reinstatement of a $1.8 million verdict in his defamation case against the estate of slain Navy SEAL and “American Sniper” author Chris Kyle.
The justices did not comment Monday in leaving intact a decision by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to upend the verdict.
Kyle’s autobiography was the basis for the 2014 film “American Sniper.” Ventura, a former SEAL, took issue with Kyle’s claim that Kyle punched Ventura at a California bar in 2006 for offensive comments about the SEALs.
Ventura said Kyle made up the entire incident and that the book damaged Ventura’s reputation among former SEALs.
A jury had sided with Ventura.
The case could return to Minnesota for a new trial.
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