Judge Lawrence L. Piersol has recused himself from the billion-dollar defamation lawsuit against ABC because his daughter-in-law is a producer on “Good Morning America,” the AP reports.
South Dakota-based Beef Products, Inc. is suing ABC News for $1.2 billion for the network’s reports on its finely-textured beef products, referred to as “pink slime.” Diane Sawyer, Jim Avila and David Kerley were all named defendants in the lawsuit, which ABC filed a motion to dismiss last month.
The case has been reassigned to Chief Judge Karen Schreier.