Pro-gun group sues Katie Couric for defamation in Under the Gun film

Virginia Citizens Defense League is suing the former
TV news anchor, TV network Epix and director Stephanie
Soechtig over ‘misleading’ editing

Sam Thielman in New York
Tuesday 13 September 2016 22.53 BST

Pro-gun group the Virginia Citizens Defense League is suing former TV news anchor Katie Couric, television network Epix and director Stephanie Soechtig for defamation over their documentary Under the Gun.

The suit demands $12m in damages following a fruitless round of accusations and half-apologies over the film’s editing.

In Under the Gun, Couric asks several members of the Virginia-based gun lobby: “If there are no background checks, for gun purchasers, how do you prevent felons or terrorists from purchasing a gun?” Nine seconds of silence follow as the interviewees, all of whom are named as plaintiffs, appear to be at a loss for an answer.

But by the VCDL’s accounting, and by the film-makers’ admission, the gun ownership advocates were not in fact silent but answered the question. The VCDL produced an audio recording of the interview published the Washington Free Beacon that does not track with the footage in the movie.

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