A Jury Found Climate Skeptic Mark Steyn Liable For Defamation — Legal Experts Say He Has A Chance To Win On Appeal

https://dailycaller.com/2024/03/14/michael-mann-mark-steyn-hockey-stick-defamation-appeal/

A Washington, D.C., jury concluded that Mark Steyn — a right-of-center political pundit who referenced a separate blog post comparing climate scientist Michael Mann to serial pedophile Jerry Sandusky for the former’s purported data manipulation in his signature 1998 “hockey stick” climate model — liable for defaming Mann. Steyn is appealing the court’s decision that he must pay Mann $1 million in punitive damages on top of $1 in compensatory damages, and legal experts told the DCNF that his case may be strong enough to win on appeal.

“Michael Mann’s counsel did something you’re not supposed to do. He invited the jury to send a message that these attacks on scientists have to stop and the jury, being a D.C. jury, decided they were going to send that message. Now, that’s explicitly forbidden, both in the District of Columbia and in the United States at large,” Steyn told the DCNF. “You’re supposed to be trying ‘Fred Smith.’ He’s the guy in the dock. You’re not sending a message to millions of other potential ‘Fred Smiths’ out there. But that’s what they did.” (RELATED: Mark Steyn’s Case Against Climategate Scientist Is Taking So Long A Key Witness Died)