The Bristol Herald Courier was served Monday with a $1.5 million defamation lawsuit filed by a Russell County, Va., woman.
Dollie Compton, the former clerk of the Russell County Circuit Court, is suing the Bristol Herald Courier, parent company Media General Inc., and three BHC employees over two stories published in March 2009.
The stories pertained to her son, Wade Compton, who admitted to Virginia State Bar investigators that he had sexual relations with several domestic violence clients while he represented them through the Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society, an organization that provides legal representation for indigent clients.
Dollie Compton, who acknowledges in her complaint that the published articles make no mention of any improper, illegal or unethical action committed or taken by her, claims nonetheless that the inclusion of her image in a family photograph published with the articles implies that she was involved in her son Wade’s activities. In addition to her claim for compensatory damages, she is seeking $350,000 in punitive damages, plus her costs and attorneys’ fees. She has included as defendants Editor J. Todd Foster, reporter Daniel Gilbert and Publisher Carl Esposito.
The complaint goes on to say that the allegations give rise to a case of first impression under Virginia law as to the use of unauthorized photographic images to imply “guilt by association” through reckless and willful inference and innuendo. The photo, reprinted with permission from the photographer, comes from a University of Virginia’s College at Wise alumni magazine and can be found on the Internet.
mowens@bristolnews. | (276) 645-2549
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