Federal Judge Upholds $256 Million Verdict Against Human Rights Lawyer in Defamation/RICO Case
A federal judge has upheld a $256 million jury verdict against a human rights lawyer, Terry Collingsworth, in a defamation and RICO lawsuit. The case involved allegations against Drummond Co., an Alabama-based coal company, accused by Collingsworth of human rights abuses in Colombia. The jury found that Collingsworth and his law firm, International Rights Advocates, had paid witnesses and promoted false information, leading to the substantial verdict. The lawsuit, which began over a decade ago, saw Drummond counter-suing Collingsworth, resulting in one of the largest jury awards in Alabama's history. The verdict includes $52 million for defamation and $68 million for RICO violations, which was tripled under the RICO statute. Collingsworth's request for a new trial was denied by Senior U.S. District Judge David Proctor, who questioned Collingsworth's claims of financial inability to pay the award. 
