With legal battle over and settlement pocketed, Ventura calls Kyle 'American Liar'

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura denounced the late “American Sniper” author Chris Kyle on Monday as an “American Liar” and said he feels vindicated in his five-year legal battle against the former Navy SEAL and his estate, though he declined to say how much his settlement is worth.

At a Minneapolis news conference Monday, Ventura would not tell reporters how much money he received for settling his defamation case but noted he was smiling about it. He and his lawyer would not say whether the money came from publisher HarperCollins or its insurance company. But Ventura said it didn’t come from Kyle’s widow or his estate. Ventura also said he didn’t get an apology.

“All I’ll say is my settlement is now in the bank,” Ventura said. “That speaks and tells you everything else about it.”

“The settlement and all the negotiations surrounding the settlement are confidential,” Ventura attorney David Olsen said.

A Minnesota jury awarded Ventura $1.8 million in 2014, but a federal appeals court threw out the verdict. Both sides were preparing for a new trial before the settlement was announced in court filings last week. Ventura also dropped a related case against HarperCollins Publishers.

Read more: http://www.twincities.com/2017/12/04/legal-battle-over-ventura-denounces-chris-kyle-as-american-liar/