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Bruce Lehrmann, Accused of RAPE Settles ONE Defamation Claim-$295,000
Bruce Lehrmann, Former Australian Liberal Party Staffer Accused of RAPE - Defamation Trial
Bruce Lehrmann v Lisa Wilkinson: What is The Defamation Case About? -
Journalist Lisa Wilkinson and Network Ten Are Being Sued in The Federal Court by Lehrmann About The Allegation Lehrmann RAPED Political Staffer Colleague Brittany Higgins -(Substantially True)
The Guardian Australia 5 DEC 2023
Journalist Lisa Wilkinson and Network Ten are being sued in the federal court by Bruce Lehrmann
What is The Basis of Lehrmanns’ Claim?
After the collapse of his criminal trial due to juror misconduct, Lehrmann filed defamation claims against Wilkinson and Network Ten, and News Corp and the Gold Walkley award-winning reporter Samantha Maiden, who were first to break the story of Higgins’s allegations.
He has also threatened to sue the ABC for defamation over its publication of a National Press Club address by Higgins and former Australian of the year Grace Tame, but is yet to file a claim in court.
Brittany Higgins
Lisa Wilkinson seeks to prove Brittany Higgins rape allegation as part of defamation defence
Wilkinson and Network Ten are being sued over Wilkinson’s interview with Higgins on The Project, which aired on 15 February 2021. They are also being sued over related broadcasts on Channel 10’s website and on YouTube.
Lehrmann alleges the broadcasts carried four defamatory imputations. Chief among them are the suggestions that he “raped Brittany Higgins in Defence Minister Linda Reynolds’ office in 2019” and that he “continued to rape Brittany Higgins after she woke up mid-rape and was crying and telling him to stop at least half a dozen times”.
He has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty at his aborted trial in the ACT supreme court. Prosecutors did not seek a re-trial due to concerns about Higgins’s mental health.
The first problem for Lehrmann is one of time. Plaintiffs are usually required to bring defamation proceedings within one year of the relevant publication date.
That limitation period has long since passed.
Lehrmann first needed to convince the federal court to extend the limitation period.
Higgins, Lehrmann and The Defamation Trial;
It’s one of the most watched defamation cases, with both Brittany Higgins and Bruce Lehrmann taking the stand in the Federal Court.
Mr Lehrmann is suing Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson for defamation over an interview where Ms Higgins alleged she had been raped by a Liberal staffer at Parliament House in 2019.
He has denied the allegation and has never been found guilty of any wrongdoing.
CONTINUED....
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