Overview
- A Tennessee federal jury on Monday found Upchurch liable for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress and set damages at $17.5 million.
- The award grants $6.5 million to Kiely Rodni’s father, Daniel Rodni, and $11 million to her grandfather, David Robertson.
- The lawsuit centers on a now‑deleted video titled “ZERO proof of Kiely Rodni situation being REAL” that alleged a GoFundMe scam even though officials ruled Rodni’s death an accident with no foul play.
- Upchurch’s legal team issued a statement that defended free‑speech principles and expressed sympathy to the Rodni and Robertson families.
- An attorney says the case now moves to a punitive damages phase, which could further raise the cost of such conduct for high‑audience online creators.