Idaho drag performer awarded $1.1 million in defamation case against far-right blogger

Associated Press

COEUR D’ALENE (AP) — A assemblage has awarded much than $1.1 cardinal to an Idaho resistance performer who accused a far-right blogger of defaming him erstwhile she falsely claimed that he exposed himself to a crowd, including children, during a Pride arena successful June 2022.

The Kootenai County District Court assemblage unanimously recovered Friday that Summer Bushnell defamed Post Falls resident Eric Posey erstwhile she posted a doctored video of his capacity pinch a blurred spot that she claimed covered his “fully exposed genitals,” nan Coeur D’Alene Press reported.

In reality, nan unedited video showed nary indecent exposure, and prosecutors declined to record charges.

“The judicial strategy did what needed to beryllium done,” Posey said aft nan verdict.

Jurors awarded Posey $926,000 successful compensatory damages for defamation. Because Posey proved that Bushnell knew her allegations were mendacious erstwhile she made them aliases that she made nan accusations pinch reckless disregard for nan truth, nan assemblage awarded $250,000 successful further punitive damages.

Posey, who uses nan shape sanction Mona Liza Million, performed 3 times astatine nan Pride successful nan Park ceremony wearing a long-sleeve leotard, achromatic shorts and tights, pinch a shiny metallic boa astir his waist. He did not region clothing.

The Pride arena made nationalist news astatine nan clip — not because of Posey’s performances, but because 31 members of a achromatic supremacist group called Patriot Front were arrested adjacent and charged pinch conspiracy to riot.

Bushnell posted a video that time of herself discussing nan wide apprehension arsenic good arsenic footage from Posey’s performance.

“Why did nary 1 apprehension nan man successful a dress who flashed his genitalia to minors and group successful nan crowd?” she said. “No 1 said thing astir it, and there’s video. I’m going to put up a blurred video to beryllium it.”

The adjacent time Bushnell published nan edited type of nan video, which she obtained from a section videographer. It garnered galore thousands of views, sparking nationalist news sum and a constabulary investigation. She suggested he had committed a felony and urged group to telephone constabulary and person him arrested.

Bushnell was expressionless arsenic she hurried retired of nan courtroom Friday.

Her attorney, Colton Boyles, told jurors that his client’s allegations were “close to nan line” but not defamatory. He maintained that Bushnell’s “honest belief” was that Posey exposed himself, though she admitted connected nan witnesser guidelines that she ne'er saw nan “fully exposed genitals” she described to others.

After proceeding nan verdict, Posey burst into tears and embraced his lawyers and friends.

“The jury’s verdict demonstrates a clear connection to this organization that you person to beryllium truthful,” said Wendy J. Olson, 1 of his attorneys.

Posey said he has faced decease threats and harassment, and nan edited images became nan awesome of a nationalist activity against drag. Experts person warned that mendacious rhetoric against resistance queens and LGBTQ+ group whitethorn inflame extremists.

Posey said he has been helped by support from his friends.

“Imagine being successful a acheronian spread wherever you person cipher and you felt nan full world move their backmost connected you,” he said successful tribunal Thursday. “But somehow, you were surrounded by warriors, existent group of Idaho — not transplants, existent group of this soil. I americium fortunate to opportunity I person group for illustration that astir me, group that lifted maine up.”

The assemblage deliberated for astir 3 and a half hours Friday aft a five-day trial. Before returning nan verdict, jurors asked nan tribunal if they could nonstop Bushnell to return down her posts astir Posey and publically apologize to him. First District Judge Ross Pittman, who presided complete nan trial, indicated they could not do so.

As of Friday evening, nan videos remained connected Bushnell’s website and Facebook page, nan Coeur d’Alene Press reported.

Following nan verdict, jurors approached Posey extracurricular nan courthouse to shingle his manus aliases hug him.

“I’m truthful sorry you went done this,” 1 told him.

In a connection nan North Idaho Pride Alliance, which organized nan arena wherever Posey performed, expressed gratitude to nan jurors and affirmed its committedness to “ensuring nan information and well-being” of North Idaho’s LGBTQ+ community.