Network Wins Defamation Lawsuit

After more than two years of wrangling, racist activist Roger Roots' defamation suit against the Network finally went to trial. Following three days of testimony, which ranged from bizarre to insulting, the case went to the jury. In less than an hour they decided in favor of the Network. "The bottom line is that jury didn't believe much of what Roots had to say" said Program Director Ken Toole who was the only witness the Network called to testify in the case.
In June 1994, Roger Roots filed a defamation law suit against the Human Rights Network for linking him to the Ku Klux Klan in its publication, A Season of Discontent. At the same time Rudy Stanko, who claims to be the "Pontifex Maximus" of a bizarre hate group called the Church of the Creator, filed a case also alleging defamation.   Both cases were thrown out in district court without a trial in the spring of 1995.   Roots appealed to the state supreme court which ordered a trial in the case.
The trial began on August 19th in Judge Holstrom's court in Billings. In his opening statement Roots told the jury that he loved the white race. He urged the jury to focus on whether the allegation that he was linked to the Klan was true. He explained that he disagreed with the "doctrine of human equality" and asked the jury not to look at his beliefs but at the negative public perception of the Ku Klux Klan. He portrayed the Network as a powerful political organization and he predicted that the Network would try to portray him as a racist.
He was right. In its case the Network presented mountains of evidence demonstrating Roots' racist beliefs and his ties to racist activities and individuals in the Billings area. The Network asked Roots to explain how the Network had caused him any harm and how that is any different from his own open promotion of racist causes.
Roots only presented one witness in addition to putting himself on the stand. That person was self-avowed Ku Klux Klan organizer, John Abaar, now of Great Falls. Abaar testified that he was the only Klansman in Montana and that he had tried to recruit Roger Roots to the Klan and failed. Abaar proved to be a very poor witness.   In addition to presenting contradictory testimony, Abaar's demeanor was smug and sneering.
In the end the jury did not believe Roots' contention that he has never had anything to do with the Ku Klux Klan and found in the Network's favor in remarkably short deliberations.