Dr. Dariush Adli Discusses Slander Claim in the Highly Publicized Alex Baldwin Parking Spot Altercation

In a recent article for Law360, Dr. Dariush Adli discusses the highly publicized “Alex Baldwin parking spot altercation” and the subsequent slander claim brought against the actor. The incident in question centers around a verbal and physical altercation over a parking spot in New York City. In that incident, Baldwin was charged with attempted assault and harassment and pled guilty to the lesser harassment charge. Later on, the plaintiff in the case filed a lawsuit in New York State claiming slander.

The case is significant because the public statements made by Baldwin about the incident traverse the legal borderline between assertions of fact and expressions of opinion. It also highlights the fine line between a factual description of an event that includes a suggestion of a potential crime committed by an individual, and directly accusing the individual of that crime. Finally, the case discusses the use of epithets and hyperbole in determining the slanderous nature of a statement.

To read the article and get Dr. Adli‘s perspective on the validity of the slander claim, please click here.