Eric Posey was awarded over $1.1 million in damages for defamation after a blogger falsely accused him of exposing himself during a drag performance at Coeur d’Alene City Park. The jury found the blogger guilty of defamation and awarded compensatory and punitive damages.
Key Points
Jury awarded Eric Posey $926,000 in compensatory damages and $250,000 in punitive damages
Blogger accused Posey of exposing himself during a drag performance, which was proven false
Videos posted by the blogger sparked national news coverage and a police investigation
City prosecutors confirmed that the unedited video showed no exposure
North Idaho Pride Alliance expressed gratitude to the jurors and affirmed support for LGBTQ+ community
Pros
Justice served with the jury awarding over $1.1 million in damages for defamation
Clear message to the community about the importance of being truthful
Cons
Eric Posey faced harassment and death threats as a result of the false allegations
The defamatory videos remain on the blogger's website and social media