Twitter Expert Will Testify Against Courtney Love in Defamation Trial
A social media expert is expected to testify against Courtney Love in a defamation suit that claims the rocker’s Twitter rants damaged the reputation of a fashion designer known as the “Boudoir Queen.”
Love called Dawn Simorangkir a drug-pushing prostitute with a history of assault and battery after the designer demanded payment for her clothes, according to THR, Esq. The suit, headed to trial on Jan. 18, is the first high-profile defamation trial over a celebrity’s Twitter comments.
At issue is whether Love’s tweets were regarded as expression of opinion rather than facts. Simorangkir’s lawyers hope to bolster their case with testimony from social media expert Jessie Stricchiola, the story says. She will testify about how many people saw Love’s insults and whether the tweets were deemed to be credible.
Defamation expert Alonzo Wickers says he’ll be following the trial. “I’ll be interested to see if the court gives people posting on Twitter more latitude than other media,” he told THR, Esq.
Hat tip to MediaBistro.com.
