Publisher, sportswriter file suit in fake story about Oklahoma quarterbacks Publisher, sportswriter file suit in fake story about Oklahoma quarterbacks
The publishing company is a leading provider of news and information in Oklahoma through its newspaper, The Oklahoman, and Web site, NewsOK.Com.
OPUBCO and sportswriter Jake Trotter sued James W. Conradt, the alleged perpetrator of the hoax, in federal court in Oklahoma City.
The 10-count civil lawsuit accuses Conradt of libel, copyright violations and trademark infringements.
Conradt published a "defamatory” article on the Internet July 9 that falsely stated University of Oklahoma quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Landry Jones had been arrested for intent to distribute cocaine, the lawsuit alleges.
Conradt allegedly put a link to the article on his Web site, www.darthhusker.com, and on an online sports message board.
The lawsuit claims Conradt used Oklahoman staff writer Jake Trotter's byline and various OPUBCO trademarks to give the bogus Internet article the appearance of legitimacy.
Conradt placed Trotter in a false light and damaged his reputation and occupation by publishing the story, the lawsuit alleges.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified financial damages. The lawsuit also asks a federal judge to order Conradt not to misuse OPUBCO trademarks in the future, to require Conradt to prepare a written report stating how he will comply with that order, and to order Conradt to publish "corrective advertising” to compensate for the harm he allegedly caused.
Conradt, 36, is a Nebraska fan who works as a computing services manager in the information technology department at the University of Texas. He could not be reached for comment Monday evening.
Last week, Conradt admitted to Oklahoman columnist Berry Tramel in a telephone interview that Conradt was responsible for the hoax. He said he wasn't thinking.
"I want to express my deepest apologies to the families,” Conradt said last Wednesday. "I didn't want to hurt anyone.”
The lawsuit claims Conradt was "well aware of the dangers that can be caused by posting harmful attacks anonymously on the Internet.”
It points to a Jan. 10, 2005 article in the Lincoln Journal Star, a Nebraska newspaper, in which Conradt was quoted discussing how easily people can post untrue rumors on Internet message boards.
"I think anonymity brings out the worst in people,” Conradt was quoted as saying. "There are no consequences for saying what you say. I think that's probably where the whole concept of flaming comes from. They probably didn't have that in the old days around the coffee pot at work, the profanity-laced, ultra-negative outbursts.”
Thank you for joining our conversations on newsok. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Fair-minded, unbiased, and with journalistic integrity oozing, the Oklahoman welcomes your -- the reader's -- comments on this story. Just don't say anything about the Jenna Plumley story. OSU receiver arrested for fake ID? Sure, we welcome your comments. OU player arrested for trying to pretty herself up? Hell no. Keep your comments to yourself. Grow a spine DOK.
"Who's gonna sue you guys over what the Oklahoman publishes?" You can, as soon as DOK steals your copyrighted material in order to pass a lie being told by you off as coming from a legitimate source.
"Damaged Trotter's reputation??? Who had heard of Trotter before this. If anything, it's got his name out there."
Using that logic, how about we attach your first and last name to a false story that could put your career in jeopardy, and legitimize the lie to the point that a few radio stations run with said story? Does it really freaking matter that Trotter wasn't a nationally renoun writer? All a newspaper writer has to legitimize themselves sometimes is their name, and Trotter's name was libelously attached to a fake story. The idea that it doesn't matter because he isn't Dan Patrick is ridiculous, and has no bearing on the case.
Any UT fan that disagrees with the DOKs suit needs to look in the mirror. Due to a lawsuit several years back, royalties are paid on everyone of those upside down longhorn stickers you see on an OU fans bumper. Eye for an eye?
Most of the things I think should happen to the guy have already been posted, one way or another, but I think it should be mandatory that he stay off (at least not post) message boards for quite a number of years. He has lost that privilege. If not that, he should be severely penalized in a financial way.
Employers now routinely search the internet as part of background checks before hiring people. These two QBs may have to explain this little "joke" for years to come and most employers when they find this sort of thing - joke or not - won't want to have anything to do with them. That is the definition of defamation folks.
Welcome to our new website wannabeeattorneys.com
Never have I seen so many misinformed people post opinions.
Give the Jokelahoman and Trotter a quarter each. Give Sam and Landry each a meatball sub. Slap the Husker in the head with a book called “Bad Judgment and How to Avoid It.” And then EVERYBODY STFU!!!
Wait! Forgot to answer the question posed by moron number 11 about the OU b’ball player. The replies are probably gone because the OU haters started talking unprintable trash same as the day Jack Mildren died. Some hater made a remark about a “reach around” that day and zap!!! Postings disappeared!!!
The only real issue here is copyright infringement, which, IMO, isn't even a huge issue since this was just a joke. Just give the guy some community service, make him post a retraction (which he already did) and educate the public about not doing this sort of thing.
As for personal damages, no one was hurt, so there's nothing to be gained. People who are public figures, like Oklahoma athletes, have to deal with people occasionally saying something stupid or untrue about them. False accusations are made about public figures everyday, regardless of whether they are in the sports world, entertainment, media or politics.
I witnessed numerous media outlets making untrue statements about Nebraska athletes during their championship seasons in the 90's, but the University of Nebraska and it's athletes weren't petty enough to sue someone over a false claim. As a Nebraska fan, I'm sorry and ashamed that this time it was one our own fans making a disparaging remark about students from another University, but I don't think it warrants legal action. I guess I expected more out of Oklahoma and the long-standing, respectful rivalry between our two Universities. (But I would expect something like this from Colorado...)
On a separate, but somewhat related issue, I'm glad that OU's AD wants to renew the tradition of the great rivalry between OU and NU. Hopefully it is a good game this year and next year between two friends (Stoops & Pelini). It's just a shame that OU-NU don't still play every year at Thanksgiving.
Curt, no nobody got hurt, not one iota. Draft stock of these kids is not damaged in the slightest and their reputations are intact. DOK was not damaged but does have the copyright issue. As you said, make the guy do some "community service" type things and be done with it. But, unfortunately, we live in a society that is dominated by a disturbing, sue everybody mentality of a two year old. It is quite pathetic.
I am an NU grad who majored in journalism. It is true that the Oklahoman has to draw a line in the sand with respect to the use of their trademark. The lawsuit should discourage future misuse by others. In this case, Conradt has already "ceased and desisted," and if I were him, I would offer to just do the other things asked - post a retraction, write a report on compliance, etc.
And then hope the world forgets soon how bad my judgement is . . .
What I don't understand is all this uproar over financial "damages." Who exactly got "damaged" financially? Did Jake Trotter get fired? Has his reputation really been "damaged?" Did Bradford and Jones get kicked off the team because of this story? Did anything related to this actually take money out of their pockets? Does anyone really think any less of them because of this hoax?
If I were the judge, I would make Conradt comply with the requests of the paper, and then award $1 in actual damages and $3 in punitive damages. And then I would turn my attention to more important matters - like how I can get a ticket for the NU-OU game this fall . . .
Since I'm not an OU or OSU fan, I never really compare to see which school gets what in the paper. I just wish there was more regional sports stories as I never hear any news from the U of A down here.
Okay okay Renee...so you are probably correct. :-) But still...it's a biased newspaper. There is no "real" news these days...plain and simple. It gets worse and worse...not just about the Oklahoman, but in general, about any publication. It's never 100% fact related anymore. Well, few stories are...maybe a small percentage, but that's it. Newspapers are all opinion based these days...they are no longer based on sheer facts. Call them Opinionpapers...because it's not "News" any longer.
Everyone assumes that anyone "bashing" or speaking negatively about Sooner fans on this comment page would be an OSU fan. I'm a U of A grad and still find it humorous about all the assumptions being made. The DOK is a biased newspaper. It always favors the University of Oklahoma, and always will. I myself am a bigger fan of the Tulsa World. It distributes "pub" evenly throughout all 3 major universities in this state. Did you see the article about the basketball player for the women's team? Where is the comment box for that article? There are never any comments when it comes to an article that is 100% negative about any athlete from the University of Oklahoma. Reading the Daily Oklahoman is nothing but pure entertainment for me...I never take anything that comes out of it as being serious. Unlike the Tulsa World.
James Conradt reads from the message boards at BigRedReport.com with his cat George in Lincoln, Neb., in this December 6, 2004 file photo - AP Photo/ Elizabeth Ortega/the Lincoln Journal Star
64
Featured Gallery
Prev
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
Thank you for joining our conversations on newsok. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Log in below or sign up (it's free).
Using that logic, how about we attach your first and last name to a false story that could put your career in jeopardy, and legitimize the lie to the point that a few radio stations run with said story? Does it really freaking matter that Trotter wasn't a nationally renoun writer? All a newspaper writer has to legitimize themselves sometimes is their name, and Trotter's name was libelously attached to a fake story. The idea that it doesn't matter because he isn't Dan Patrick is ridiculous, and has no bearing on the case.
Never have I seen so many misinformed people post opinions.
Give the Jokelahoman and Trotter a quarter each. Give Sam and Landry each a meatball sub. Slap the Husker in the head with a book called “Bad Judgment and How to Avoid It.” And then EVERYBODY STFU!!!
Wait! Forgot to answer the question posed by moron number 11 about the OU b’ball player. The replies are probably gone because the OU haters started talking unprintable trash same as the day Jack Mildren died. Some hater made a remark about a “reach around” that day and zap!!! Postings disappeared!!!
As for personal damages, no one was hurt, so there's nothing to be gained. People who are public figures, like Oklahoma athletes, have to deal with people occasionally saying something stupid or untrue about them. False accusations are made about public figures everyday, regardless of whether they are in the sports world, entertainment, media or politics.
I witnessed numerous media outlets making untrue statements about Nebraska athletes during their championship seasons in the 90's, but the University of Nebraska and it's athletes weren't petty enough to sue someone over a false claim. As a Nebraska fan, I'm sorry and ashamed that this time it was one our own fans making a disparaging remark about students from another University, but I don't think it warrants legal action. I guess I expected more out of Oklahoma and the long-standing, respectful rivalry between our two Universities. (But I would expect something like this from Colorado...)
On a separate, but somewhat related issue, I'm glad that OU's AD wants to renew the tradition of the great rivalry between OU and NU. Hopefully it is a good game this year and next year between two friends (Stoops & Pelini). It's just a shame that OU-NU don't still play every year at Thanksgiving.
And then hope the world forgets soon how bad my judgement is . . .
What I don't understand is all this uproar over financial "damages." Who exactly got "damaged" financially? Did Jake Trotter get fired? Has his reputation really been "damaged?" Did Bradford and Jones get kicked off the team because of this story? Did anything related to this actually take money out of their pockets? Does anyone really think any less of them because of this hoax?
If I were the judge, I would make Conradt comply with the requests of the paper, and then award $1 in actual damages and $3 in punitive damages. And then I would turn my attention to more important matters - like how I can get a ticket for the NU-OU game this fall . . .