Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk has filed a $200 million defamation lawsuit against Scripps Media, parent company of News Channel 5, and the station's investigative reporter Phil Williams.
The suit stems from a story Williams reported Wednesday night — one also independently reported by Pith Thursday — about allegations from an ongoing civil suit involving David Chase, the developer who was at the center of controversy less than two years ago after he was charged with assaulting his ex-girlfriend twice in 24 hours. Those charges were eventually dropped. But documents from an ongoing suit, in which Chase has accused an array of individuals with conspiring against him, contain allegations of extortion, blackmail and possible bribery.
Political consultant Bill Fletcher is accused of approaching the Chase family with a request for $2 million to make David Chase's criminal charges go away — a request they suggest they believed might have been for a bribe. In a statement to the Scene, Fletcher strongly denied the allegations. The documents also include an allegation by David Chase that Funk "blackmailed" him. Funk has denied any wrongdoing, but did acknowledge that he dismissed the criminal charges against Chase under the condition that Chase drop a federal lawsuit he had filed against the Metro Police Department.
Funk's suit against News Channel 5 accuses the station of libel, defamation and false light.
Excerpts from the suit against Scripps and Williams:
“According to the Story, a political consultant working for David Chase requested $2,000,000.00 from Chase’s father to ‘make [the domestic violence case against Chase] go away.' "The Defendants imply that this money was intended to pay a bribe to ‘someone.’ Mr. Funk has had no contact with this political consultant (Bill Fletcher), whether by e-mail, telephone, or face-to-face conversation, during his tenure as District Attorney.”
“Mr. Funk did not blackmail or attempt to blackmail David Chase. Although the dismissal of Mr. Chase’s federal lawsuit, which included the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department as a defendant, was a condition precedent to having his criminal charges dismissed, conditioning dismissal of criminal charges on dismissal of a civil lawsuit is routinely used by prosecutors throughout the United State, and such agreements were approved by the United States Supreme Court nearly thirty years ago.
“Further, at no point has Mr. Funk solicited, been offered, or accepted any bribe, including during his tenure as District Attorney.”
“The above referenced statements that Mr. Funk extorted money from a criminal defendant, solicited a bribe, and blackmailed a criminal defendant into dismissing a civil lawsuit are false”
“The above reference statements that Mr. Funk extorted money from a criminal defendant, solicited a bribe, and blackmailed a criminal defendant into dismissing a civil lawsuit were make recklessly. The Defendants published these statements with knowledge of falsity or with reckless disregard as to truth or falsity.”
In a release to media, attorney Jim Kay of Kay Griffin Enkema and Colbert notes that "damages resulting from this litigation will be donated in its entirety to non-profits dedicated to protecting women who have been victims of domestic assault and abuse." They have also requested the award to be trebeled.
Lyn Plantinga, Vice President and General Manager, sent Pith this statement. "While NewsChannel 5 stands behind our story, we cannot comment on pending litigation."
You can read the whole complaint here.
