The Austin Chronicle has been removed from a lawsuit alleging sexual servitude and trafficking by a federal judge. The lawsuit, filed by an Austin woman against Chronicle co-founder Louis Black and the paper itself, claimed that Black coerced her into sexual servitude and that the Chronicle benefited from her forced sexual labor without knowledge.
However, the Chronicle argued that it did not benefit from Black’s actions, did not participate in them, and was unaware of his misconduct. The judge agreed, stating that the lawsuit failed to provide enough evidence to implicate the Chronicle in the alleged trafficking.
The plaintiff submitted an amended complaint, but it still lacked evidence that the Chronicle had reason to suspect any wrongdoing. The judge ultimately dismissed the case against the Chronicle, as the allegations did not meet the requirements of forced sexual labor, fraud, or coercion.
The co-founder and current Publisher of the Chronicle, Nick Barbaro, stated that neither him nor anyone else at the paper had ever met the plaintiff, and that her claims were baseless and untrue. He expressed appreciation for the court’s decision but mentioned the hassle and expense of defending such claims.
The case against the Chronicle has been closed now that the plaintiff’s window for appeal has passed. The Chronicle remains committed to providing independent news coverage to the Austin community, and welcomes readers to share their thoughts on the matter by sending a letter to the editor.
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