FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Appellate judges reviewing a defamation lawsuit filed by Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax expressed concern that journalists gave an overly credulous reaction to two women who accused him of sexual assault. But they were skeptical that he could meet the high standard required to prove libel.
A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond heard arguments Thursday from a lawyer for Fairfax, who wants his defamation lawsuit against CBS reinstated after a judge dismissed the case last year.
CBS News broadcast interviews in 2019 with two women who accused Fairfax of sexual assault.
Fairfax denies wrongdoing and accuses CBS of ignoring evidence that would cast doubt on their allegations.
