An Atlanta judge has ordered a local blogger to pay a bishop $150,000 in damages, WSBTV reports The judge ordered flamboyant blogger William McCray III to pay Bishop Larry Shaw for damaging his reputation.
Shaw told Channel 2’s Diana Davis that the case began 12 years ago when a woman wrote a letter accusing the bishop of rape.
Shaw says the woman later admitted the rape charges were untrue.
“Those charges were ridiculous and they were found to be bogus,” Shaw said.
Shaw said he thought his nightmare was over until McCray began blogging about the case as if the rape allegations were new.
Someone also emailed the rape allegations to other blogs (including Sandrarose.com).
Shaw told Davis his case was an example of the damaging effects of social media run amok.
“Anybody can be placed on social media and if you don’t have the resources, some things can go on and live forever and you can never pull it back. Once a story is given, you will never pull back the entire story. Someone will read this story 20 years after I’m dead and they will believe this story to be true,” Shaw said.
In an email, McCray said he would appeal the judge’s ruling. “This is to be considered an ongoing case at this time,” he wrote.
UPDATE: According to McCray, the judge’s order was a default judgment — probably because McCray was never served with a summons notifying him of the court date. I wonder why WSB TV didn’t make that fact clear in their story?
Thanks to loyal reader Tami of Talkingwithtami.com for the tip.
