STATUS: TRO Dissolved.
A satirical website, "Hammond Action News," was forced to temporarily take down a fictional story about a giraffe attack on a tour guide on March 4, 2010. The article named a real nonprofit wildlife sanctuary, the Global Wildlife Center, and used a copyrighted photograph to illustrate the article. The plaintiffs brought suit after the owner of the satirical website refused to take the story down. Without holding a hearing, Louisiana judge Brenda Bedsole Ricks granted a temporary restraining injunction, and scheduled a hearing for Mar. 15. A different judge, Beth Wolfe, heard the evidence and dissolved the injunction. Judge Wolfe also ordered the plaintiff to pay the defendant $500 in attorneys' fees and court costs.
Links and court documents
Judge: Web site must yank story about center giraffe, 2theadvocate.com, Mar. 4, 2010
Judge rules in satirical Web site's favor, USA Today, Mar. 16, 2010
Fake Giraffe Update: Louisiana Court Sides With Satirical Website, Citizen Media Law Project, Mar. 16, 2010
ACLU's Amicus Brief
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