Federal judge dismisses former Trump supporter Raymond Epps' defamation lawsuit against Fox News

Source: Associated Press

Federal judge dismisses former Trump supporter’s defamation lawsuit against Fox News

By JONATHAN J. COOPER
Updated 7:23 PM EDT, May 8, 2026

PHOENIX (AP) — A federal judge on Friday threw out a defamation lawsuit against Fox News, ruling for a second time against a former Donald Trump supporter who said he received death threats when the network aired false conspiracy theories about his involvement in the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.

Raymond Epps, a former Marine, was falsely accused by Fox of being a government agent causing trouble near the Capitol that day so that it would be blamed on Trump fans. He said he and his wife sold an Arizona ranch where they lived and moved into a recreational vehicle because of the harassment they faced after Fox’s reports.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Hall in Delaware granted Fox’s motion to dismiss the case, finding Epps failed to show enough evidence to prove that Fox knew its statements were false.

The judge previously dismissed the case in 2024 but gave Epps a second chance to file his case. Her Friday ruling said he still fell short.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/fox-news-raymond-epps-defamation-lawsuit-dismissed-a3658632a324900d0502c4893a5113d5