Roy Kronk, the former Orange County meter reader that found the body of Caylee Anthony, is continuing his 2011 lawsuit against the National Enquirer . His claim that the popular check out line magazine has misrepresented him as an accomplice to the murder, a man that has inappropriate behavior with young girls, and treats women with disrespect, has resulted in the defamation lawsuit. Kronk also claims that his reputation has been marred by the lies printed in the magazine and he seeks $15 million to compensate him for any and all damages.
Casey Anthony has been in the news lately, claiming to be a victim in the shadow of being found not guilty of murder. However, Roy Kronk feels that he is the real victim, next to Caylee Anthony, as his discovery of the child’s body quickly turned into a vicious attack against his character and motives, much of which was initiated by the National Enquirer . According to a report by the Orlando Sentinel . Kronk’s attorney, Howard Marks, pointed out an article that claimed Kronk killed Caylee, with a very small subtitle that stated “Casey Anthony says.”
“We believe the article is obviously false and misleading,The article also included claims that Kronk engaged in ‘inappropriate behavior with young girls’ and “holding women against their will,” as well as a statement that “He was probably the one that murdered Caylee or had something to do with it,”
The National Enquirer claims that the defamation lawsuit is merely an attempt to achieve monetary gain and nothing more. Mike Antonello, general council for the National Enquirer , claims the magazine took a neutral stance on the issue and ensured they revealed that the allegations were not supported by the authorities.
WFTV reports that Deanna Shullman, an attorney for the National Enquirer, attempted to coerce the residing judge to decide the case without the aid of a jury, However, Judge Margaret Schreiber refused to rule on Monday, deciding to hear arguments from both sides prior to making her final decision.
Shullman claims the sensationalized headlines used by the National Enquirer are attention grabbing and not meant to defamatory. However, Kronk’s attorney disagrees.
“I don’t think the National Enquirer’s article was accurate, and whether it was defamatory to Mr. Kronk, we certainly believe it is and we believe it’s fair to assume a jury reading (it) would believe Mr. Kronk was in on or possibly killed Caylee,”
[Photo Courtesy: Fox News ]
