An Oklahoma man has been awarded $25 million in damages after a jury concluded that the state’s largest newspaper intentionally harmed him when it falsely identified him as a high school sports announcer who hurled racial slurs at players.
Scott Sapulpa was one of two announcers to commentate the March 2021 girls playoff game between Midwest City High School and Norman High School that made national headlines when the Norman team took a knee and another commentator, Matt Rowan, launched a racial slur against the girls.
“They kneel? F–king n—-s. I hope Norman kicks their asses. F–k them. I hope they lose. They’re going to kneel like that?,” Rowan said as the game aired live.
After about 30 seconds, the unidentified announcer mumbled something indistinguishable before once again using a highly offensive slur, punctuated by a profanity, to refer to the student-athlete.
But in an initial report of the incident, The Oklahoman incorrectly reported that it was Sapulpa who made the racist remarks.
She later sued, alleging defamation and emotional distress, claiming that she suffered lasting damage from the mistaken identity — even though her name was only attached to the article for less than three hours.
Scott Sapulpa was wrongly named as the sports announcer who made racist remarks at the March 2021 girls playoff game between Midwest City High School and Norman High School in Oklahoma. NFHS network
On Monday, a jury agreed with him and ordered Gannett — The Oklahoman’s parent company — to pay $5 million in actual damages and another $20 million in punitive damages.
“We’re very happy for Scott,” attorney Michael Barkett said afterward. “Hopefully this will live up to his name.”
He argued in court last week that the case would set a precedent for other newspapers, according to NonDoc.com.
“Their whole culture, which we’ve seen in this case, is profit over people,” Barkett said. “It is their power that blinds them from speaking the truth. They think they can get away with it.”
But Bob Nelon, a lawyer for Gannett, indicated that the company realized it made a mistake and quickly dropped Sapulpa’s name.
He argued that giving Sapulpa such a large amount of money would harm the smaller community newspapers owned by the company.
It was actually Matt Rowan who made the statement, then blamed the incident on diabetes. @RzstProgramming / X
“Newspapers are made up of people, and people make mistakes. Mistakes happen,” said Nelon.
“Gannett is made up of people – over 11,000 people. When you punish Gannett, you punish all those small-town newspaper editors.”
The Oklahoman ran its article on racist remarks at a high school basketball game the day after the incident, around 11 a.m.
It was updated at 12:37pm to falsely identify Sapulpa as the person who used the racial slur.
Two and a half hours later, his name was released.
Rowan later admitted it was him, and he was named in the article at 5:35 p.m. He later claimed he made the comment because he has diabetes.
However, Sapulpa’s lawyer claims that as a result of the misidentification, he was placed on administrative leave, his teaching contract was not renewed, his private business lost almost all of his clients, he received death threats and lost personal and professional relationships.
Following Monday’s verdict, Sapulpa said he felt “numb,” NonDoc.com reported.
“My children, their family names are also cleared,” he said between tears.
But Gannett said it would appeal the decision.
“There was no evidence presented to the jury that The Oklahoman acted with any awareness that what it reported was false or with any intent to harm the plaintiffs in this case,” Lark-Marie Anton, a spokeswoman for the media conglomerate, said in a statement.
With Postal wire.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
