Ex-coach wrongly accused of making racist comments gets record $25m defamation payout
1 year, 1 month ago

Ex-coach wrongly accused of making racist comments gets record $25m defamation payout

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A former high school football coach was awarded a $25m payout after an Oklahoma jury ruled in his favour in a defamation case. Scott Sapulpa had sued The Oklahoman, the state’s leading newspaper, after he was wrongly identified as the person who had referred to a high school basketball team by a racial slur when they kneeled for the national anthem. In March 2021, Mr Sapulpa had been one of two announcers at a high school basketball game between Midwest City High School and Norman High School. During the playing of the national anthem, players on the Norman High School team took a knee, and Mr Sapulpa’s co-announcer, Matt Rowan — unaware his microphone was still live — went on a racist rant against them.

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History of this topic

US Jury Awards $25 Million to Oklahoma Man Wrongly Accused of Racist Comments
1 year, 1 month ago

US Jury Awards $25 Million to Oklahoma Man Wrongly Accused of Racist Comments

News 18  

A jury in the US state of Oklahoma awarded a man $25 million on Monday after finding the state’s largest newspaper defamed him when they mistakenly identified him as the announcer who made racist comments during a 2021 broadcast of a girls’ basketball game. The jury in Oklahoma’s Muskogee County awarded Scott Sapulpa $5 million in actual damages and another …

Jury awards $25M to man who sued Oklahoma’s largest newspaper after being mistakenly named in report
1 year, 1 month ago

Jury awards $25M to man who sued Oklahoma’s largest newspaper after being mistakenly named in report

Associated Press  

OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma jury awarded a man $25 million on Monday after finding the state’s largest newspaper defamed him when they mistakenly identified him as the announcer who made racist comments during a 2021 broadcast of a girls basketball game. Sapulpa alleged defamation and the intentional infliction of emotional distress, and the jury found the newspaper acted with …

Oklahoma prep broadcaster denounced for racist comments
4 years ago

Oklahoma prep broadcaster denounced for racist comments

Associated Press  

OKLAHOMA CITY — An announcer for a live stream of an Oklahoma girls high school basketball game cursed and called one team by a racial epithet as the players kneeled during the national anthem. “I hope Norman gets their ass kicked..” Matt Rowan, the owner and operator of the streaming service OSPN, told The Oklahoman he was the person who …

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