C4GC members file defamation suit against local blogger
A defamation lawsuit filed recently pits four members of Conservatives for Guilford County against a no-holds barred blogger in Greensboro.
Douglas Adkins, whose wife, Isabella Adkins was once one of the most prominent members of the local political action committee, is listed as the lead plaintiff in a defamation suit against blogger Jeff Martin of Greensboro. (Updated: View a copy of the suit here.)
Martin, who blogs under the pseudonym, Fecund Stench, lampooned Isabella Adkins and the group Conservatives for Guilford County often using a fictional character to relay experiences from the seedy Greensboro strip-club scene.
The character, Tami Tightenloud, was described as a “dwarf, transvestite Hooters waitress” who would often find herself at strip clubs in Greensboro after hours. It was during these fictional encounters that Martin often wrote about members of C4GC.
The lawsuit names Douglas Adkins, Isabella Adkins, Brett Riddleberger, Jodi Riddleberger and C4GC as plaintiffs and seeks compensatory and punitive damages in excess of $10,000, the threshold required to file a case in superior court. In the filing, the plaintiffs demand a jury trial.
The lawsuit was filed in February, but had an incorrect address for Martin to be served a summons. Court records show that Guilford County sheriff’s deputies attempted to serve the suit at the incorrect address twice in February.
The attorney for the plaintiffs, Krispen Culbertson, filed an additional summons on May 1, listing two more addresses for Martin. Deputies served the suit on Martin on Friday morning.
The suit contains three lengthy paragraphs that quote from Martin’s blog. Of note is that the filing cites an incorrect internet address as the location where Martin published his content.
The first complaint references a post made in May of 2013 where Martin envisioned C4GC members’ celebrating the 50th anniversary of the civil rights March on Washington and Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Martin wrote about C4GC members celebrating the occasion at a strip club. Douglas Adkins is the owner of gentlemen’s clubs in Greensboro where women perform seminude in return for cash.
“Bubba ended the performance with his rendition of Give it 2 U accompanied by the Puerto Rican girls and Isabella Adkins …” the law suit states in reference to Martin’s writing. Bubba is a reference to conservative activist Bob Grenier of Greensboro, one of the more vocal supporters of C4GC and conservative politics in the local online community.
The suit also objects to Martin writing about Brett Riddleberger’s conviction for indecent liberties with a minor. Riddleberger was convicted in 1995 on the charge following an incident in which he filmed himself having sex with a 15-year old girl. Brett Riddleberger was 25 years old at the time.
“In past blogs posted on Defendant’s blog site, with such blog posts remaining on Defendant’s blog site, it is falsely stated that Brett suffers from a medical condition known as Erectile Narcolepsy, by which loss of blood to the brain when aroused causes him to lose consciousness,” the suit alleges. “On February 8, 2013 a blog was posted on Defendant’s blog site falsely stating, ‘Barrett … just fainted’ and ‘It happens frequently,’ thus alluding to the earlier blogs regarding Brett’s alleged medical condition.”
Reached by phone Monday, Martin said he planned a vigorous defense and had been in contact with multiple attorneys. He planned to commence a legal defense fund soon.
C4GC cofounder, Jodi Riddleberger, referred questions for comment to her attorney. When asked over the weekend via social media messaging to confirm the suit, Riddleberger said that C4GC had not sued anyone. On Monday, when told that she and her husband, in addition to C4GC were listed as plaintiffs, Riddleberger said that she “was not aware that C4GC had been named in the court papers.”
Source: YesCurrent