• Fedizen@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    A couple caveats

    1. this only applies if you’re a trusted news source - musk or trump could say this tomorrow and would win the case because they’re known liars. The implication here is that anyone that can legally get away with saying shit any other way is either a small potato, known liar or if its irrefutable truth.

    2. I think in this case, specifically, they could probably say he was murdered by somebody because they already said homocide in the title

    • Karjalan@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      I’m not saying they’re correct in not calling it that, or that the system necessarily works that way, but they’ll have lawyers to look over everything in these sorts of scenarios and they’ll, usually, ask to play it safe.

      Also, re point 2, it’s different to say “autopsy says it’s homicide” vs the paper/journalist saying that they were murdered. Unless it’s legally ruled as such (judge/court case), the news agency could be liable if they said it themselves. The headline is essentially just quoting someone else.