TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Sep 30, 2024

A Kansas judge last week dismissed a defamation lawsuit against U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Knoxville, ruling that Denton Loudermill Jr. lacked jurisdiction to bring the case. WBIR News 10 reports that Loudermill sued Burchett in March after Burchett tweeted a photo of Loudermill, referring to him as a gunman and an "illegal," following a fatal shooting at a Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl celebration on Feb. 14. Loudermill, a U.S. citizen, was briefly detained after the shooting broke out but never charged. Burchett's attorneys argued the lawsuit should be dismissed because the action had no connection to Kansas, as Burchett does not live or represent constituents in that state. Following the dismissal, Loudermill's attorney said he would refile the suit in Washington, D.C., according to The Tennessee Journal.