Etheredge-Brown v. American Media, Inc.

OPINION AND ORDER

J. PAUL OETKEN, District Judge:

This is a defamation action filed by Bobby Brown (“Brown”) and his wife, Alicia Etheredge (“Etheredge”), arising from an article published by the National Enquirer in March 2012, shortly after the death of Whitney Houston (“Houston"). The article contained statements asserting that Brown and Houston had reestablished an intimate relationship before her death and were planning to re-marry. The lawsuit names as defendants American Media, Inc. (“AMI”), which owns and operates the National Enquirer, and Derrick Handspike (“Handspike”), an individual…