ATLANTA (CN) – Voicing some fatigue with the long-running defamation suit, the 11th Circuit grappled Friday with the appeal by an Ethiopian blogger who wants to be reinstated as a defendant. Ethiopian Review has already posted a retraction of the libelous article that accused Ahmed of human trafficking, and Judge Jones also awarded Ahmed compensatory damages of $145,210 in 2015. Graubart noted at Friday’s hearing, however, that the default judgment against Ethiopian Review was entered at a time when the publication had no counsel and was thus unable to defend itself. Though Graubart defended Kifle’s right to dismiss his role in the suit, Gately asked why he is doing so at the 11th Circuit. Circuit Judge Charles Wilson pressed Graubart on this point, asking him to explain how a dismissed party can show standing.

Source: Ethiopian News March 09, 2018 20:37 UTC