Katie Couric & Epix Sued For $12M Over Anti-Gun Docu Editing

[RockaFowler]

http://deadline.com/2016/09/katie-couric-lawsuit-under-the-gun-movie-controversy-1201818790/

Plaintiffs the VCDL, Patricia Webb and Daniel Hawes, who appear in the docu, want compensatory damages of $12 million and punitive damages of $350,000 for each individual plaintiff. They also want an injunction against further airing or viewing of Under The Gun until “false” depictions of them are removed.

Couric and Soechtig did not respond to request for comment from Deadline on the lawsuit. Of course, as the filing notes and a court will too, the host and director have already admitted that they tweaked the responses for dramatic effect. Epix, on the other hand, did have a clear response to the suit.

“The claims against EPIX in this lawsuit are completely without merit,” said a spokesperson for the channel today. “Under The Gun premiered at the Sundance Film Festival where it received critical acclaim. Epix saw the Sundance screening and acquired the documentary at that time. The network had no role in its creation or production and should therefore not be a party to this lawsuit.”



Here is the earlier statement from Katie Couric
http://deadline.com/2016/05/katie-couric-statement-anti-gun-documentary-editing-1201764628/

“As Executive Producer of “Under the Gun,” a documentary film that explores the epidemic of gun violence, I take responsibility for a decision that misrepresented an exchange I had with members of the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL). My question to the VCDL regarding the ability of convicted felons and those on the terror watch list to legally obtain a gun, was followed by an extended pause, making the participants appear to be speechless.

When I screened an early version of the film with the director, Stephanie Soechtig, I questioned her and the editor about the pause and was told that a “beat” was added for, as she described it, “dramatic effect,” to give the audience a moment to consider the question. When VCDL members recently pointed out that they had in fact immediately answered this question, I went back and reviewed it and agree that those eight seconds do not accurately represent their response.”



So they are suing over 8 seconds. Nothing Katie Couric said was wrong in that doc. But 8 seconds of silence is too much for these gun-nuts. Oy Vey!

[gratuitous]

1. Such delicate flowers at VCDL!

Offer them a fainting couch and a box of smelling salts.

Then tell them to fuck off.