Lawsuit against Nancy Grace, CNN moves ahead

[TJ Phaserman 2]

OCALA, Fla. - A federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit that claims CNN's Nancy Grace pushed the mother of a missing toddler to suicide through aggressive questioning.

 

CNN and Grace argued the wrongful death lawsuit brought by Melinda Duckett's family would "severely chill" journalists' coverage of missing-persons cases. But U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges on Thursday denied their motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

 

Duckett, 21, was on Grace's show after her son Trenton went missing from her apartment in August 2006. Grace grilled the woman, accusing her of hiding something because Duckett did not take a lie-detector test and answered vaguely regarding her whereabouts.

 

Duckett fatally shot herself before the network aired the pre-taped interview.

 

The family claims Grace's intense questioning caused severe emotional distress that led to the suicide. The lawsuit also claims that the decision to air the interview after her suicide caused the family to suffer severe emotional distress and media and public harassment. They are seeking a jury trial, unspecified damages more than $15,000 and punitive damages.

 

Duckett family attorney Jay Paul Deratany said attorneys will begin taking testimony.

 

"There is more information out there to be gleaned," said Deratany. "If Melinda had any information, Nancy Grace stopped the investigation in its track."

 

Police have said Duckett is the only suspect in her son's disappearance.

 

A message left Friday for an attorney representing Grace and CNN were not immediately returned.

 

CNN is a division of Time Warner Inc.

[Odie 0]

:) I am so glad the lawsuit is moving forward. She cross over line and pushed the woman too far.

[TJ Phaserman 2]

she always does....and i hope her bony conservative blone butt is ousted from CNN.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

I've always suspected her angry eyes were mirroring an angry, violent soul.

 

 

Guilty Pleasure: I've wished she someday be put in a legal situation where she might hope for someone to have mercy on her.

 

You say you haven't had a trial yet, Nancy? Tough, neither have all the people you try and convict in a moment. You are Guilty and I hope they throw the book at YOU. :)

[trekz 7]

I would like to say something in Nancy Grace's behalf.

 

........................

 

But I can't think of anything positive. Throw the book at her!!!

[TJ Phaserman 2]

OFF WITH HER F(bleep)ing HEAD!!!!!!!!

[mj 7]

The whole situation is sad, and a different approach by Nancy Grace might have brought out more information, and not resulted in the woman's death. What she could have done was investigate how stressful it is to be a mother (or parent ) of a toddler, and how much help and support this woman had from family and friends, and approached the investigation with sympathy, trying to determine whether or not the woman had felt overwhelmed.

 

I wonder how much help the family that is now suing provided their now dead relative when she needed a babysitter or a break.

[Odie 0]

I agree it is very sad situation. If she did not push the mother we might known what happen to the 2 year old. She forgot that she was and still not prosecutor for Atlantia anymore. She greatly disrespected the police and District Attorney in that case. They knew what they where doing at that time. Since that time I refuse to watch any of her shows.

 

 

CNN and Grace argued the wrongful death lawsuit brought by Melinda Duckett's family would "severely chill" journalists' coverage of missing-persons cases.

 

No, it won't set chill in journalists' coverage of missing-persons cases. I hope that this will show journalists that they are not district attorney, prosecutors, judges, and jury of any person that are connect to any case that they do not have power and the authority to make person look guilty in the public eye. They are still innocent until proven guilty by the court of law, and not the personal beliefs of Nancy Grace or anyone else that feels they must do what our court system seems to fail to do. Talk about poisoning the well before the case even set in courtroom.