Ballard & Angel Studios' Motion to Dismiss Denied in Suarez Defamation Lawsuit - American Crime Journal

Court docket denies Tim Ballard and Angel Studios’ Movement to Dismiss defamation lawsuit by Kely Suarez. Case heads to discovery, a part Ballard has lengthy dreaded

This text is now a part of ACJ’s complete investigative collection Derailed: Operation Underground Railroad

In a major authorized improvement, District Court docket Choose Robert Faust denied the Movement to Dismiss filed by Tim Ballard and Angel Studios at the moment within the Third District Court docket.

Attorneys for Tim Ballard, Katherine Ballard, and Angel Studios sought reduction underneath Utah’s Uniform Public Expression Safety Act (UPEPA), arguing that the movie “Sound of Freedom” was a docudrama, not a documentary, and that any cheap viewer would perceive it accommodates fictionalized characters and occasions. They additional contended that even when the character of Katy Giselle was primarily based on Kely Suarez, the portrayal of her involvement in baby trafficking and subsequent arrest was considerably true.

Nonetheless, this argument crumbles underneath scrutiny. For years, Ballard has made doubtful and simply disprovable claims, reminiscent of asserting that “Sound of Freedom is 95% true.” Even Operation Underground Railroad, which not too long ago distanced itself from Ballard, launched a Truth vs. Fiction web page concerning the movie that contained falsehoods.

Choose Faust noticed by the charade, as inner communications by the Harmon brothers demonstrated their concern with Ballard’s credibility, as they have been uncovered by American Crime Journal. Attorneys Suzette Rasmussen and Alan Mortensen, representing Kely Suarez, highlighted the contradictions and inconsistencies in Ballard’s narrative. In addition they revealed that Angel Studios had been warned about Ballard however selected to disregard crimson flags. Inner communications, initially revealed by American Crime Journal, confirmed that the Harmon brothers, co-founders of Angel Studios, have been conscious of Ballard’s a number of legal investigations, together with for fraud.

The Harmon brothers admitted that they knew the claims made within the movie and through its manufacturing, distribution, and promotion have been problematic, all sourced from Ballard.

Whereas the Movement to Dismiss filed by each Angel Studios and Tim Ballard was denied, Katherine Ballard’s Movement to Dismiss was sadly granted.

You possibly can learn the whole court docket order under:

Assets and Additional Studying:

Inner Messages Exposes Angel Studios’ Harmon Brothers’ Repeated Warnings, Admission, and Subsequent Disregard of Tim Ballard’s ‘Points’ – American Crime Journal |

Exposing the Sound of Freedom Hoax – American Crime Journal |

Angel Studios’ $175 Million “Pay it Ahead” Scheme and the Astroturfing of “Sound of Freedom” – American Crime Journal |

Mormon Tales: Sound of Freedom that includes Anna Merlan, Tim Marchman and Lynn Packer – American Crime Journal |