Rolling Stone asks judge to dismiss lawsuit related to debunked UVA rape story

Brett T. | 12:24 AM on December 24, 2015

NBC News reports that Rolling Stone magazine has asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by three graduates of the University of Virginia who say Sabrina Erdely’s debunked piece, “A Rape on Campus: A Brutal Assault and Struggle for Justice at UVA,” has damaged their reputations. Rolling Stone contends that since the graduates were not named in the piece, “no reasonable reader” would assume they were the subject of the article.

Rolling Stone asks judge to dismiss lawsuit over debunked UVA rape article https://t.co/mvOX1da1M9 pic.twitter.com/CajbPFay3y

— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 24, 2015

The plaintiffs, however, say they can easily be tracked by their graduation year and affiliation with the fraternity named in the article and as such their names “will forever be associated with the alleged gang rape.”

Even if the case is dismissed, Rolling Stone faces two other lawsuits in connection with the article. The fraternity itself is suing the magazine for $25 million, and Nicole Eramo, associate dean of students at UVA and head of the university’s sexual misconduct board, is asking for $7.8 million from Rolling Stone and Erdely, saying she was named in the article and portrayed unfairly.

@NBCNews no way this gets dismissed. Long term damage to many.

— rick wooldridge (@WooldridgeRick) December 24, 2015

@NBCNews Screw Rolling Stone, hope they take down them and the feminist author of the article

— Kevin D (@kdFive9) December 24, 2015

@NBCNews
So @RollingStone , with intent and malice, adversely affects people's lives, and they want immunity?

— syd piper (@sydthepiper) December 24, 2015