Nicholas Sandmann Reaches Settlement With NBC In Covington Catholic High School Controversy

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Nicholas Sandmann reached a settlement with NBC-Universal on Friday. Over a confrontation at 2019 March for Life in Washington D.C., the media lambasted Covington Catholic High School student, from Kentucky, who is now 19. Sandmann tweeted, “At the moment I would like to release NBC and me having reached a settlement,” adding that terms were confidential.

Sandmann was captured on video in one of the “Make America Great Again” campaign hats worn by former President Donald Trump while smiling at Nathan Phillips as Phillips played a ceremonial drum and chanted to him. Numerous media reports claimed that the incident was racially charged by a White teenager. Sandmann and other witnesses refuted this claim.

People have judged Sandmann “based on one expression, and I wasn’t smirking. But people have assumed that this is what I have,” he stated in a 2019 interview with Savannah Guthrie, NBC News anchor. He said that members of the Black Hebrew Israelites group were nearby and shouted slurs at him, his classmates, and he added.

Sandmann stated, “I heard them calling us incest children, bigots, and racists.”

According to reports, he sought $275 million in damages from MSNBC and NBC Universal by filing a lawsuit. CNN and Washington Post settled lawsuits against Sandmann for defamation in 2020 for undisclosed amounts. CNN was sued for damages for Nicholas’ emotional distress and that of his family due to the network’s reporting.

William Jacobson, a law professor, told Fox News that CNN’s agreement to settle was a rare example of a “little guy” being able to resist a media giant and estimated that the deal was worth at most seven figures.

According to Sandmann lawyer Todd McMurtry, lawsuits against 13 other defendants would be filed in 2020. These include Gannett, Gannett which is the owner of the Cincinnati Enquirer, and other small outlets.

Following the Nov. 19 shooting deaths of two Kenosha, Wisconsin rioters by Kyle Rittenhouse, an Illinois teenager, Sandmann said that the teens’ experiences were similar. He also stated that he had six lawsuits against other media outlets as of November.

Sean Hannity said that it was terrible because he was 17 years old in Kyle’s and mine cases. His mind is still developing.” “So, to cope with an overload stress situation where you feel that half the country hates you for something you are innocent of, but how your mind is painted can make a big difference to your mental health.”

He said, “It takes a very strong desire to be able to resist that and keep your head level.” I believe Kyle Rittenhouse is dealing directly with this right now.