Steve Wynn Media Defamation Lawsuit DismissedNevada Supreme Court Rejects Las Vegas Casino Mogul’s Claims |
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The Nevada Supreme Court dismissed a defamation lawsuit last week brought by casino mogul Steve Wynn against the Associated Press. The suit came after a 2018 article in which two women detailed sexual misconduct allegations against the former head of Wynn Resorts.
The court made note that the original article cited documents from law enforcement. The three-justice panel also referenced the state’s anti-SLAPP laws in turning aside the lawsuit. SLAPP refers to “strategic lawsuits against public participation,” referring to legal attempts meant to intimidate critical reporting or statements.
“Nevada’s anti-SLAPP statutes were designed to limit precisely the type of claim at issue here, which involves a news organization publishing an article in a good faith effort to inform their readers regarding an issue of clear public interest,” the ruling notes.
Lawsuit Rejected
In the article, one of the women alleged a sexual assault and giving birth to Wynn’s child. His attorney’s argued that the documents relied on in the article didn’t include other parts of her story that would have brought about some doubt in her account. Justices didn’t agree with that assertion.
“We believe the Nevada Supreme Court made the right decision,” AP vice president of corporate communications Lauren Easton said.
Wynn’s legal team disagreed with the ruling with attorney Todd Bice saying he was “surprised that the court would change Nevada law and disregard the Nevada Legislature in order to extend legal protections to a news report that was determined to be false.”
Previous judges hearing the case noted that the AP “fairly reported” the claims against Wynn. The Wall Street Journal originally reported about sexual misconduct allegations against Wynn in 2018. That included a 2005 settlement of $7.5 million to a former manicurist who alleged he had forced her to have sex with him.
The company also reached another settlement for $975,000 with another woman with similar allegations in 2006. The Nevada Gaming Control Board later investigated assertions that executives at Wynn Resorts didn’t act on allegations against the former CEO. The company ultimately agreed to make changes as part of that investigation.
“We have undergone an extensive self-examination over the last 12 months, intended to reinvigorate and implement meaningful change across all levels of the organization, cultivate a safe, healthy and supportive workplace culture, and build on our core values of respecting our employees, corporate responsibility and citizenship, and service to the community,” Wynn Resorts noted in a statement.
The turmoil surrounding the allegations eventually led to Wynn stepping down from the company. He now has no role with the company that bears his name.
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