What happened
A lawsuit has been filed against podcaster Candace Owens by a witness to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA. The witness, Robert Hild, claims that Owens suggested he was involved in the killing on her podcast, leading to death threats and verbal attacks from her followers.
According to the lawsuit, Owens made multiple false claims about Hild, including that he had ties to malicious foreign actors and was connected to a communist underground. Hild's lawyers argue that Owens' statements were damaging and abject falsehoods, and that she has shown a disregard for the truth and the harm caused by her lies.
The lawsuit also mentions that Owens is facing another defamation suit from the head of Kirk's private security, Brian Harpole, over similar claims made on her podcast. Owens has defended herself against the lawsuit, arguing that her commentary is protected opinion or rhetorical hyperbole.
Hild, a former data scientist and Mormon missionary, was in the crowd when Kirk was assassinated and took shelter off campus after the shooting. He later took a walk with a friend near the scene of the crime, and photos of him were posted on social media without his consent. Owens used these photos to suggest that Hild resembled the suspected assassin and might be the real killer.
The lawsuit alleges that Hild has suffered severe emotional distress, threats, stalking, doxxing, and vandalism as a result of Owens' statements. Owens has not responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
