A Wisconsin judge has ruled in favor of Fox News and host Megyn Kelly in a lawsuit brought by a Milwaukee firefighter, Aaron Marjala, who claimed he was defamed by comments made during a “Kelly’s Court” segment that aired on Fox News Channel in 2011.
The segment, a regular feature of Kelly’s afternoon show America Live, Kelly and guests would debate the merits of a legal case. Marjala had been the feature of a local news story, having been found permanently disabled as a firefighter, but going on to run in several marathons and compete in an Ironman triathlon. Kelly introduced the segment saying, “the ironman too injured to fight fires, Aaron Marjala, was one of Wisconsin’s bravest until he banged his funny bone on a kitchen counter at a Milwaukee firehouse. Oh, the horror.”
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports Milwaukee County Civil Court Judge Jeffrey Conen ruled “viewers could independently judge whether the defendant’s opinions and comments were reasonable and make up their own mind about the duty disability system and Mr. Marjala’s receipt of the benefits.”