The owner of the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones, along with his personal lawyer, Donald P. Jack and Jim Wilkinson, who is the communications consultant for his family, is facing a defamation lawsuit.
According to ESPN, the lawsuit has been refiled by Alexandra Davis and her earlier case was discarded by Federal Judge Robert W. Schroeder III.
The court concluded that the claims that were made were defamatory. The two ESPN articles regarding the lawsuit against Jones were acknowledged, which later questioned whether Jones was her biological father or not.
Davis also further claimed that Jerry Jones, Donald P. Jack and Jim Wilkinson, issued a public campaign that besmirched his character, “based knowingly on false statements and accusations.”
According to ESPN, Federal Judge Schroeder “also ruled that Davis qualified as a ‘limited public figure’ and as such had failed to make a valid claim of actual malice, a requirement under defamation law.”
The new complaint alleged, “Throughout their smear campaign against Plaintiff, Defendants either knew the statements being made by them were false or they knew enough facts such that they should have entertained serious doubts as to the truth of their defamatory statements,”
It was also alleged that the defendants “were additionally closely working with” ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr. and he was the one who wrote stories regarding the case. Further stating the defendant worked with “other media”, “to ensure all news outlets reported the statements Defendant Wilkinson had given to Van Natta.”
Davis also wants to establish that Jones is her father in the first lawsuit, which is currently pending. The defendants also tried to link to a “‘conspiracy’ with others supposedly attempting to extort money from the Jones family.”
Jones was also ordered by a judge last year for a paternity test; however, the test continues to be delayed.
