Legal News

“Clock Boy” Defamation Lawsuit against Glenn Beck Dismissed
Download PDF
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading...

Screen Shot 2017-01-11 at 2.39.35 PM

Ahmed Mohamed. Photo courtesy of Star Telegraph.

Summary: A Dallas judge has dismissed Ahmed Mohamed’s defamation lawsuit against Glenn Beck.

This week, a Dallas judge dismissed a defamation lawsuit against popular conservative pundit Glenn Beck and his TV network, The Blaze. Ahmed Mohamed, also known as “Clock Boy,” was a Texas high school student whose life changed after he brought a homemade clock to school.

  
What
Where


In 2015, Mohamed brought the infamous clock to his Irving high school, and his teacher mistook it for a bomb and reported him. The then freshman student was promptly put into handcuffs and detained. The story drew national attention, earning Mohamed the nickname “Clock Boy.” Conservatives stated that they thought Mohamed purposely brought the clock for attention, and liberals condemned the school for its alleged Islamophobia and racism.

On Monday, Judge Marciela Moore dismissed the defamation lawsuit against Beck, The Blaze, the Center for Security Policy, and the CSP’s vice president Jim Hanson. The Center for Security Policy is a conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C. According to Star Telegram, the lawsuit against Irving’s mayor, Ben Van Duyne, is remaining.

The defamation lawsuit was filed in September of last year, shortly after the incident. Mohamed’s family sued Beck after The Blaze aired a negative segment about Mohamed, claiming that he was being used as a “dog whistle” for Muslims to take a stand in the United States. Hanson and his company was sued because he had been on the record agreeing with Beck.

Get JD Journal in Your Mail

Subscribe to our FREE daily news alerts and get the latest updates on the most happening events in the legal, business, and celebrity world. You also get your daily dose of humor and entertainment!!




“They wanted people to react, and they wanted to portray this kid as an innocent victim,” Hanson had said. “I think he was a pawn of his father.”

Fox 4 and political pundit Ben Ferguson were also sued for his anti-Clock Boy comments; but their part in the lawsuit was dismissed in December. All of the dismissed defendants were protected by Texas’ Anti-SLAPP statute, which was designed to protect free speech from litigation.



“Mr. Beck and TheBlaze are pleased at the Court’s faithful application of First Amendment principles pursuant to the Texas Citizen Participation Act, the very purpose of which is to protect freedom of speech by mandating the summary dismissal of unmeritorious defamation claims,” Beck’s attorney Michael J. Grygiel said to the Morning News.

Hanson released a statement on his company’s website on Tuesday.

“This ruling reaffirms our most fundamental liberty — the right to free expression — and punishes [Mohamed’s father] and his allies for attempting to suppress ideas they oppose,” Hanson said.

The Mohamed family is being represented by attorney Susan Hutchison. In addition to the defamation lawsuits, they also have a federal discrimination lawsuit pending against the City of Irving and the Irving School District.

The Mohamed family was unavailable for comment, according to The Star Telegraph.

Source: The Star Telegraph

Do you think the Mohamed family has a chance at winning their other lawsuits? Let us know in the comments below.



 

RELEVANT JOBS

Associate Attorney

USA-PA-Exton

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY McKenna Snyder LLC, a law firm in Exton, PA has an immediate opening for an ex...

Apply now

Attorney

USA-MI-Sturgis

Qualifications: HaasCaywood is seeking associate attorneys for our Coldwater and Sturgis, Michiga...

Apply now

Attorney

USA-MI-Coldwater

Qualifications: HaasCaywood is seeking associate attorneys for our Coldwater and Sturgis, Michiga...

Apply now

Insurance Defense Trial Attorney/ Senior Counsel

USA-CA-San Francisco

Job description Trial Attorney - Personal Injury Defense Full Job Description Hickey Smith ...

Apply now

BCG FEATURED JOB

Locations:

Keyword:



Search Now

Education Law Attorney

USA-CA-El Segundo

El Segundo office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law attorney with ...

Apply Now

Education Law Attorney

USA-CA-Carlsbad

Carlsbad office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law attorney with 4-...

Apply Now

Education Law and Public Entity Attorney

USA-CA-El Segundo

El Segundo office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law and public ent...

Apply Now

Most Popular

SEARCH IN ARCHIVE

To Top