Jesse Ventura Lawsuit Against Chris Kyle, Deceased Navy SEAL, Can Continue: Judge

Ventura Lawsuit Against Deceased Navy SEAL Can Continue, Judge Says

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura's lawsuit against deceased Navy SEAL Chris Kyle can continue, a judge has ruled.

Arthur Boylan, U.S. chief magistrate judge for the federal courts in Minnesota, ruled that as executor of her husband's estate, Kyle's wife Taya can act as a "substitution" for the defendant in court, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Ventura sued Kyle over an alleged meeting between the two described in Kyle's best-selling book about his service in Iraq, "American Sniper."

In the book, Kyle describes a 2006 incident where he punched a celebrity he calls "Scruff Face," alleging the man made harsh comments about the Iraq War and President George W. Bush, according to the Star Tribune. During several interviews, Kyle described the incident and named Ventura as the second party involved.

According to the Dallas Morning News, court documents say Ventura sued for defamation, calling the anecdote in Kyle's book "a complete fabrication" and "a vicious, deliberate, and calculated assault on [Ventura's] character, honor, and reputation."

Kyle was shot and killed at a gun range in Texas in February 2013. At the time, Kyle was reportedly helping another soldier who was recovering from post traumatic stress disorder.

Before You Go

Robert Bentley (R-Ala.)

United States Governors

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot