Gun Rights Activists Sue Katie Couric Over Documentary Edits

Gun Rights Activists Sue Katie Couric Over Documentary Edits
Katie Couric visits 'The O'Reilly Factor' at FOX Studios on May 13, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by D Dipasupil/Getty Images)
The Associated Press
9/14/2016
Updated:
9/14/2016

RICHMOND, Va.—Virginia gun rights activists have filed a $12 million defamation lawsuit against Katie Couric and other makers of a documentary over an edit they say misrepresented the activists’ response to a question.

The segment in “Under the Gun” shows nearly 10 seconds of silence after Couric asks members of the Virginia Citizens Defense League how felons or terrorists could be prevented from purchasing a gun without background checks.

Activists can be heard on audio of the exchange responding to Couric’s question almost immediately.

Couric was executive producer of the film. She said in a message on the film’s website in May that she regrets that the edit was misleading and that she didn’t raise her initial concerns about the segment “more vigorously.”

Couric’s spokesman declined to comment Tuesday.

“Katie Couric has publicly admitted that the film, which was presented to VCDL as a ‘documentary,’ was misleading and misrepresented VCDL,” Phillip Van Cleave, President of the VCDL, told Fox News. “However, Couric and the other filmmakers have refused to fix the film or to even stop promoting and distributing it. The only way to hold Couric accountable was to file a lawsuit.”

Couric initially said she is “very proud of the film.”

Epoch Times contributed to this report.