The Law Offices of John G. Mateus, Esq. are proud to announce they have won victory for the First Amendment in an investigation into the cold case of Jennifer Fay.
In the case of Natale v. Barstool Sports, et al., docket no. 2573CV00305 out of Bristol Superior Court, the firm represented defendants Michelle Littlefield and Charles Castro, whom the plaintiff sued for defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and invasion of privacy.
Ms. Littlefield and Mr. Castro, cold case investigators, researched the unsolved 1989 disappearance of one Jennifer Fay from Brockton. In the course of their investigation, they allegedly found links to the plaintiff, Ms. Diane Natale. Ms. Littlefield and Mr. Castro were interviewed on and provided research to podcasts owned by Barstool Sports about these links and the Jennifer Fay cold case.
The plaintiff sued based on these interviews. The Law Offices of John G. Mateus moved to dismiss the claims against Ms. Littlefield and Mr. Castro, arguing the plaintiff’s claims were too vague and the right to free speech and freedom of the press enshrined in the 1st Amendment protected their work.
In a 12-page decision, the Bristol Superior Court agreed that the plaintiff’s claims against Ms. Littlefield and Mr. Castro should be dismissed. The First Amendment is protected again.
The memorandum order is below.