False Facebook Comment Leads To $500K Settlement

A woman will pay $500,000 to settle a defamation suit sparked by a Facebook post. In the post to Davyne Dial, Jacquelyn Hammond made the comment: “I didn’t get drunk and kill my kid.” She was referring to the accidental shooting death of Dial’s 11-year-old son in 1976, which involved another child and in which Dial played no part. Dial sued for defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress, saying she sued partly to “make a statement to the community that you can’t get on social media and run your mouth without consequences.” Hammond’s defense claimed her comment wasn’t related to Dial, and that it was mistakenly posted to Facebook while Hammond was simultaneously participating in another online forum.