Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Jesse Ventura Wins Defamation Case

Jesse Ventura won his defamation case against an author who said he punched out the former Minnesota governor for criticizing the U.S. Navy SEALs� role in the Iraq war.

The jury awarded a total of $1.845 million: $500,000 in defamation damages and $1.345 million for �unjust enrichment� � or to be specific, $1,345,477.25.

Jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict, as instructed. Instead, with the consent of both sides, they voted 8 to 2 in Ventura�s favor.

Ventura was not in the courtroom when the verdict was read.

U.S. District Judge Richard Kyle said federal rules require a unanimous verdict but allow for a split verdict if both sides agree.

Speaking to the media after the verdict, Ventura�s attorney David B. Olsen said Kyle proposed to both attorneys that they accept less than a unanimous verdict. Olsen said that his side would be satisfied with as few as six of the 10 jurors taking one position. He said Chris Kyle�s defense team proposed that 8 of 10 votes be required for a verdict.

At that time, Olsen said neither the attorneys nor the judge knew what the breakdown was among the deadlocked jurors.

While it was a �victory in itself� that the jury concluded Kyle�s account was �a lie,� Olsen said, �There are no winners in this trial.�

He said that Ventura�s reputation has been permanently damaged, especially among Navy SEALs. Ventura had served as a member of a Navy underwater demolition crew that later combined with the SEALs.

He said Ventura might make a public statement later, but he did not know when.

Olsen said he did not know how the jury reached the specific dollar amount. He said he would not discuss how the award would be divided among Ventura and his legal team.

One man and one woman voted no on verdict when all jurors were polled in the courtroom. It appeared the forewoman was one of the two no votes.

Ventura sued Chris Kyle, a former U.S. Navy SEAL sniper, who wrote in �American Sniper� that he punched out a �celebrity� SEAL at a bar in 2006 for criticizing the SEALs� role in the Iraq war. He later identified Ventura in media interviews. Ventura said Kyle fabricated the incident, and his reputation was ruined by Kyle�s account.

After Kyle died in 2013, Ventura continued the lawsuit against Kyle�s estate, which is run by his widow, Taya Kyle.

University of Minnesota journalism professor Jane Kirtley said Tuesday she was not surprised by the verdict, because the longer deliberations went on, the more she thought Ventura had a chance.

She also noted that the jury�s award was �a lot less than [Ventura] asked for.� Ventura had sought from $5 million to $15 million.

Kirtley said the most interesting aspect was the unusual dollar amount for unjust enrichment � down to the quarter. �They were apparently troubled by what they thought was the exploitation of Ventura,� she said.

What a douchebag, he did more to damage his reputation w/ this lawsuit, than Chris Kyle ever could have. (true or not)

+1

It's gratifying to see justice done. People shouldn't be enriched from the lies they (or their spouses) tell in publication form or otherwise.

This needs to be overturned on appeal.

Hawkeye, I haven't a clue where you're coming from and frankly don't want to know.

8 jurors say Kyle is a liar.

It's pretty simple.

I guess some folks at the Fire think they know better than the jury.

What a crock of BS... MPLS court - naturally..

I hope she appeals, asap.. I'd believe Kyle ten times over that fool Ventura..

There are no winners in this verdict.

Yep and 12 jurors found OJ Simpson innocent as well. So you are right pretty simple.

+3

Hey, Jesse Ventura,,, GFY,,,, and take TRH and ghostgirl with you.

Jesse won.

Wrong. Twelve jurors said the state hadn't proved their case against OJ beyond any reasonable doubt. That's quite a thing apart from Jesse's case, whatever you think of the Simpson verdict (which I think was wrong). All the Chris Kyle defense team needed to do was to provide sufficient evidence to the jury that they could conclude that there was at least a 51% chance that Chris Kyle was not lying. They couldn't even meet that very easy standard.

Won the case but lost at life.

Kyle messed with the wrong guy.

Kyle still comes out smelling like roses and Ventura still smells like a steaming pile of crap. It looks like Ventura lost this big time.

I wouldn't sell my character for 1.8 million.

Nor did Jesse. He was victimized, and now he's been compensated.

Bea175: I did not think it was possible for anyone to "defame" jesse ventura!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy